🏺 Week 2: Rua Kūmara Diagram Analysis

Unit 10: Kai, Culture and Climate — Surviving Scarcity
Analyze how Māori innovated to store kūmara and manage food scarcity.

🌿 Cultural Note: Rua kūmara (kūmara storage pits) are an example of Māori innovation to manage scarcity. This technology allowed kūmara to be stored for months, ensuring food security through winter and lean times.

📐 Diagram: Rua Kūmara (Kūmara Storage Pit)

Draw or paste a diagram of a rua kūmara here

Label: entrance, ventilation, storage area, insulation layers

Source: Research traditional rua kūmara designs from NZHistory, Te Papa, or local iwi resources.

🔍 Analysis Questions

1. Structure & Design

What features of the rua kūmara help keep kūmara fresh? (e.g., depth, ventilation, insulation)



2. Innovation & Problem-Solving

What problem did rua kūmara solve? (Think about scarcity - what happens to kūmara if you can't store them?)



3. Environmental Adaptation

How did Māori adapt kūmara storage to Aotearoa's climate? (Think about temperature, humidity, seasons)



4. Trade-offs

What trade-offs did Māori make when building rua kūmara? (e.g., time to build vs. food security, location vs. convenience)



5. Modern Connections

How do we store food today? What can we learn from rua kūmara about managing food scarcity?



💡 Key Concepts

  • Kaitiakitanga: Guardianship - Māori stored kūmara to care for future generations
  • Innovation: Creating new solutions (like rua kūmara) to solve problems (food scarcity)
  • Adaptation: Changing methods to fit the environment (Aotearoa's cooler climate vs. tropical origins)
  • Trade-off: Giving up one thing (time/effort to build) to gain another (food security)
💡 Extension: Research how different iwi adapted rua kūmara designs for their specific regions. Compare storage methods used by other cultures around the world.