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Story: Ahuwhenua – Māori land and agriculture

Preparing aruhe

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Preparing aruhe

Aruhe (fern root) is prepared at a kāinga (village) in the Bay of Islands. Aruhe was cooked and then beaten with a patu aruhe (fern root beater) to remove the hard outer skin. Before the introduction of potatoes, aruhe was a vital source of carbohydrate in many areas.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: PUBL-0015-03

by Augustus Earle

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Tanira Kingi, Ahuwhenua – Māori land and agriculture – Changes to Māori agriculture, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/20032/preparing-aruhe (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Tanira Kingi, published 1 March 2009.