Each year more than 2500 flax baskets are woven for the event – these are used to serve up the hangi meals, seafood ( kaimoana) and wild pork meat that are typically cooked to mark the occasion.
The Kāwhia Kai Festival has a strong focus on Māori cuisine ( kai) as well as being a worthy celebration of all things related to the culture at large. The festival is held in the coastal North Island town of Kāwhia, near Hamilton, on the closest weekend to New Zealand’s national holiday, Waitangi Day. This festivity has gained a lot of traction over the years: in 2010 it hosted some 10,000 attendees. Ffor perspective, the town’s population at the time was less than 400. Each year more than 2500 flax baskets are woven for the event – these are used to serve up the hangi meals, seafood ( kaimoana) and wild pork meat that are typically cooked to mark the occasion.