ANNABEL LANGBEIN + WINE MATCHES

Specifically Pasifika

Our romantic idea of the Pacific — a haven of white-fringed coral atolls, dazzling white sands, tropical clear waters, swaying coconut palms and friendly smiles – belies the tremendous spirit of resourcefulness that defines the Pacific peoples.

More than 3000 years ago, well before the Vikings made their first forays to the shores of Britain, courageous voyagers in sophisticated, ocean-going canoes were navigating the Pacific, a vast mighty ocean that holds half the world’s free water. Travelling in the fastest vessels the world had ever known — double-hulled craft capable of bursts of speed of up to 30 knots — the early Polynesians were supremely talented mariners, well versed in the skills of celestial navigation.

Filtering east from Asia, they reached Tonga and Samoa by 1000 BC, establishing over the following centuries a triangle of culture on remote islands and atolls between Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. These people came to be known as “Polynesians”, or people of many islands.

Planned migrations to new territories involved courage and determination. With little more than woven mats for shelter and warmth, up to 40 people per boat endured the searing heat of the tropics by day and freezing desert-like temperatures at night.

The essentials to start a new life were stored in the hulls of each canoe — pounders and digging sticks for taro, sennit fishing nets, bone and pearl fish hooks, wooden spears, slingshots for birds and fine woven mats. Bananas, taro, breadfruit, yams, gourds, coconuts, chickens, pigs, rats and dogs were all introduced by these early voyagers.

In some of the more remote islands of the Pacific you can still find communities following a traditional way of life. Here, the sea is the supermarket and the coconut palm is the staff of life, providing food, a quenching drink in times of drought, a source of fuel, fibre for matting and materials to build and thatch dwellings and make utensils, serving bowls, storage containers and tools.

As the Polynesian capital of the world, Auckland has become the showplace of Pacific culture. Due to the recent tragic events in Christchurch, this year’s Pasifika Festival was cancelled as we went to print.

We hope these recipes will help bring some of the flavours of the Pacific to your table.