A wahine Māori from Whaingaroa is encouraging more wāhine to get involved in traditional kai gathering, saying the practice is an important part of Māori identity and should be carried into the future.
Sally Bell, who works alongside a group of wāhine that travel Aotearoa to gather kai, says the goal is to make sure these skills are passed on to the next generations.
“I’m part of a wāhine rōpū who pretty much travel all around the motu,” she says. “My whakaaro behind Kaitiaki o te Moana and Poutangata is about creating a future for our mokopuna, looking after our whenua and kaimoana.”
Connection to her elders
Bell’s passion for the mahi comes from her upbringing and the strong influence of her koroua. She grew up gathering kai with him, and those memories have stayed with her.
“My koro pop, he’s actually from here, he used to take us out on the moana out the back. We used to get pātiki, tio, kūtai all the kai.”
She says those early experiences taught her practical skills but also gave her a sense of responsibility over the environment her whānau relied on.
“For me, meeting other wāhine who have the same whakaaro, the same passion for looking after our taonga, that’s the drive for me.”
Bell also remembers the way her koroua would gather kai using traditional methods that didn’t require modern equipment.
“My koko, he used to do kupenga, and he’d go and get pātiki. He would thread them with harakeke and chuck them over his back. We didn’t have these flash dive bags and wetsuits back then.”
She says returning to some of these older methods is part of keeping the culture alive. “Just bringing back the old ways, looking after our kai, hanging it, drying it properly, harvesting everything.”
Bringing back what was lost
Bell believes the visibility of wāhine in kai gathering dropped over time, even though women have always played a role in caring for food sources and passing on food knowledge within whānau and hapū.
“I think because along the way, we’ve lost it,” she says. “For me, it’s not only a taonga — it should be passed on to every generation, starting from karakia and prepping.”
She says more wahine are now getting involved again, and the numbers continue to grow. Many are learning to dive for the first time or joining experienced gatherers to learn tikanga, safety, and sustainable harvesting.
Bell says it’s important that men and women both continue these practices, and that everyone understands why they are done. She says the focus is not only on gathering kai but on protecting the ocean and local food sources.
Growing demand for Māori diving gear
Bell’s journey has also led her into designing wetsuits and gear that better suit Māori divers and gatherers. What started as a small project has turned into something much bigger.
“I’m actually nervous because I don’t know if I can keep up with it at the moment,” she admits. “I’ve got three wetsuits, three pairs of fins, and yeah… I was overwhelmed because there are so many beautiful, not only wāhine but tāne out there.”
Bell says the interest has shown her how many people want to get into the water and take part in kai gathering but need access to the right gear. Providing culturally informed gear has now become part of the wider kaupapa.
