Rimurapa

These images of rimurapa (bull kelp) have been inspired by the Kāi Tahu / Kāti Māmoe rokiroki kai tradition of preserving tītī (mutton bird) chicks in pōhā. Pōhā are airtight storage containers made from rimurapa, harakeke and tōtara bark. Rimurapa is a large, brown/green, edible seaweed found throughout the southern hemisphere. There are three species, of which Durvillaea. antarctica and D. poha are used in the production of pōhā – continuing a mahika kai tradition that has been used for centuries. Mahika kai literally means ‘to work the food’ – and relates to the traditional food resources and their ecosystems, as well as the practices involved in making, gathering, and protecting these resources. The rimurapa has been sourced from Te Raekaihau Point 'the headland that eats the wind' and Huetepara 'the ripe gourd' / Lyall Bay in Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington – where it is washed up during regular southerly storms.