From dining in fine restaurants to smoking pig brains in her back yard, Raukura Huata is using her social media platforms to encourage more whānau to be more adventurous with not just kai Māori but with kai from all cultures.
Amassing just under 60,000 followers on TikTok, she’s regularly sharing content eating at popular eateries in across Auckland and Wellington but it’s her videos of her preparing kai Māori like toroī, fermented pūhā and mussels, or karengo, dried sea weed that gets everyone talking (and mouths salivating).
“Ki a au nei, kaore he kai i tua atu i ngā reka o Te Ao Māori ka mutu, ngā reka o Ngāti Kahungunu”.
“To me, there’s no better food than that of Māori, and also Ngāti Kahungunu”.
It all started when she initially posted videos on Instagram. Her brother, Te Ōtāne, who also has a significant online presence, encouraged her to expand her horizons, and to try out TikTok.
“Ko te nuinga o aku irāmutu ka kore e kai kina ka kore hoki e kai toroi me te pouri hoki o tērā tūāhuatanga i te mea koianei ngā, ki a au nei, ngā kai o te ao”
“The majority of my nieces and nephews don’t eat kina and don’t eat toroi and that makes me sad.”
A Tik Tok of her preparing tītī or mutton bird has garnered over 2.3 millikon views, gaining huge traction here at home and across the globe.
“Kua whānui atu tena horapa i te motu, ki whenua kē atu pēnei i Fiji, i Ahitereiria, i ngā tāngata e aro mai ana no Phiullipines, no USA, no reira he pai”.
“It’s really spread across to other countries like Fiji, Australia and others include from the Philippines and US, so that’s cool”.
She says eating good food does more than fill the puku.
“He oranga wairua kei roto - he taunga wairua kei roto tō te kai, ka mutu he matapihi anō te kai maori ki to tātou inanahi”
“There is spiritual wellness that can also be found in the food. Māori food is also a window into our past.”