Mauke Community Launches First Written Recipe Book to Preserve Island Traditions
“It’s the first time ever our island, Mauke, has ever published a written recipe book collected by our own Mauke people,” Lianne Bishoff-Towgood told Pacific Days. The Auckland-based Akatokamanava Mauke Enua Association launched the Mauke Recipe Book in late September to document elders’ knowledge, traditional food practices, and the island language for future generations, Pacific Media Network reported.
Elder Knowledge and Traditional Techniques
The project was led by Lianne Bishoff-Towgood, the association’s Programme and Funding Coordinator, who sought to record knowledge previously passed down orally. Bishoff-Towgood noted that the book includes proverbs and food preservation techniques that had never been documented in print. One specific example is peivere pani, a dish made from mashed banana and arrowroot starch fried in butter or oil.
Bishoff-Towgood stated that achieving the correct texture for such dishes requires specific knowledge held by the island’s “special mamas.” The book serves as a permanent record so that the community can continue making uniquely Mauke dishes, such as poke, after the current knowledge holders are gone.
Adapting Island Recipes for Aotearoa
Because many community members now live in New Zealand, the project adapted traditional recipes to fit modern environments. Bishoff-Towgood explained that the book features a mixture of traditional and modernized recipes utilizing staples like taro, kuru (breadfruit), and banana.
The cookbook is one component of a broader cultural preservation effort. The association also conducts weaving workshops, youth-focused umu (outdoor cook-house) cooking programmes, and Cook Islands Reo Māori classes.
Ministry Funding Supports Mauke Community Project
The Ministry of Pacific Peoples’ (MPP) Pacific Language Community Fund provided the funding for the project. Nafanuatele Lafitaga Mafaufau Peters, the Acting Deputy Secretary for MPP, stated during the launch that the Mauke community has set an example for other Pacific groups, including Sāmoan and Tongan communities, to follow.
Kairangi Samuela, the Cook Islands High Commissioner to Aotearoa New Zealand and a Mauke native, attended the launch. Samuela said the project reminds the community that food carries memories, identity, and the knowledge of their ancestors.
Mauke Recipe Book Distribution
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free to community members |
| Target Audience | Mauke families in the Cook Islands and the diaspora |
| Funding Source | Ministry of Pacific Peoples’ Pacific Language Community Fund |
The book is dedicated to the Mauke leaders who guided the project but died before the launch, including former PMN Cook Islands producer and Kūki ‘Āirani leader Tauraki Rongo.
Mauke Traditions FAQ
What is an umu?
An umu is a traditional outdoor cook-house used for preparing food, often utilizing knowledge handed down through families.
What is kuru?
Kuru is the Cook Islands term for breadfruit, a staple food mentioned by High Commissioner Kairangi Samuela as a significant part of growing up on Mauke.
How is the book being distributed?
The Akatokamanava Mauke Enua Association is distributing the book for free to ensure food knowledge and language remain accessible to the community.
“This book is particularly special, because it reminds us that our food is not simply about what we eat, it carries our stories, it carries the knowledge of our mamas, it carries our memories.”
Keep reading