Ngā Huawhenua
(The vegetables in Māori)
Sometimes you will see huawhenua written as two words: Hua whenua
- hua = (verb) to bear fruit, originate, to flower
- whenua = land
So huawhenua is to bear fruit from the land = vegetables (as vegetables mostly come from the land or ground)
Compare this to huarākau:
- rākau = tree
So huarākau is to bear fruit of the tree = fruit (as fruit mostly come from trees)
List of vegetables in Māori
Here is our list of vegetables in Māori with the English translation next to it.
- aniana – onion (also riki)
- aonanī – Brussels sprout
- apareka – asparagus
- atihoka – artichoke
- harere – celery (also herewī)
- harore – mushrooms ***
- herewī – celery (also harere)
- kānga – corn **
- kāpeti – cabbage
- kareparāoa – cauliflower
- kāroti / kāreti – carrot
- kīkini – green pepper *
- kōkihi – spinach (also rengamutu)
- korare – silverbeet
- kūkama – cucumber *
- kūmara – sweet potato
- otahua – aubergine/eggplant *
- paukena – pumpkin *
- pī – peas
- pīni – beans *
- puananī – broccoli
- rapikama – capsicum (peppers)
- rarihi – radish (also uhikura)
- rengamutu – spinach (also kōkihi)
- rengakura – beetroot
- rētihi – lettuce
- riki – onion (also aniana)
- rikiroa – leek
- rīwai – potato
- tōmato – tomato *
- tōnapi – turnip
- uhikura – radish (also rarihi)
Are they Fruit or Vegetables?
* These are fruit in a botanical sense, though are commonly thought of as vegetables due to their culinary uses:
- cucumber, eggplant, beans, peppers (capsicum), pumpkin, tomato
** corn is a cereal grain and is also a type of fruit.
*** mushrooms – biologically a mushroom is not a plant so technically it isn’t a vegetable. However most people would consider the mushroom as a vegetable because of its use in cooking.
Next Activity
Try this interactive game: Vegetables in Māori
(Can you get 20 out of 20?)
Summary Chart
