What does it mean to feed ourselves from the whenua? Explore food resilience through mātauranga, seed saving, traditional growing practices, community knowledge and adaptation.
What does it take for a community to feed itself, especially when the climate is changing?
Join Dr Maria Barnes from Hokianga as she shares the story of He Kete Kai o Hokianga, a community food support network helping whānau strengthen their ability to grow, store and share food. Maria will explore why food resilience matters, particularly as more families return to the whenua to provide for themselves and reconnect with the knowledge and practices of their tūpuna.
Drawing on her work in seed saving and preserving taonga food varieties, Maria will share how traditional knowledge, natural growing practices and long-term food storage are helping strengthen local food systems. She will also reflect on the challenges and celebrations that have emerged along the way, and the importance of growing and sharing knowledge within the community.
Climate change is already shaping what is possible. Maria will share experiences from her family’s gardens in Whirinaki, including the impacts of drought and flooding and how growing practices have had to adapt in response.
As the leader of her local evacuation centre, Maria also brings a practical understanding of why food resilience matters when communities face disruption. This session offers a grounded and hopeful look at what communities can do to strengthen their food security, protect mātauranga and build resilience from the whenua up.
YOUR SPEAKER
Dr Maria Barnes leads He Kete Kai o Hokianga project, supporting food resilience through seed saving, traditional foods, natural growing, climate adaptation and community knowledge.