20/02/2026
We have never personally collected our own hāngī kōhatu. And honestly, that alone tells us it is no small task. 💪🏿
Finding the right kōhatu, hauling them, firing them, testing them, maintaining them, replacing the cracked ones, storing them properly. That is a big mahi. It is not something you simply overlook. It takes strength, knowledge and time.
So we take our hat off to those who carry that responsibility in our whānau, in our papakāinga, and on our Marae. The ones up before dawn. The ones covered in ash. The ones quietly checking the heat while everyone else is socialising.
𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗮̄𝗻𝗴𝗶̄ 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲.
If anything, when someone says, “Kai will be ready at 1,” I automatically translate that to 2.30. That’s not poor time management. That’s earth oven time. That’s kōhatu deciding when they’re ready to release the heat, because these hot stones were never “just rocks.”
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗻, 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻.
In te ao Māori, the stones used for cooking in a hāngī were often called kōhatu hāngī. Some rohe also use the term kōhatu umu, as umu is another word for earth oven. These stones were essential, because without the right kōhatu, there was no steady heat, no even cook, no kai for the people.
𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹
The best hāngī stones were dense volcanic stones, often basalt or andesite. They hold heat well, heat evenly, and release it slowly. River carried stones that were smooth and solid were often preferred because they had already been weathered and tested by water. Good kōhatu hāngī glow red when heated and retain their warmth long after the flames die down.
There were also people who knew what to collect. Stone gathering was not random. In many places, it was the role of experienced men to source and prepare the stones, especially before large gatherings. They knew which awa or hillside carried the right kōhatu. They knew which stones had already survived many firings and which were new. Over time, certain stones became known, reused for generations until they eventually cracked and were returned to the whenua.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲.
Some stones explode. This usually happens when they contain trapped moisture or air pockets. River stones that are porous or sedimentary stones like sandstone can fracture violently under high heat. Stones with visible cracks or layers are risky. When heated too quickly, the trapped water turns to steam and the pressure causes them to shatter.
Some stones never heat properly. Soft stones or those with high clay content absorb heat but do not retain it. They crumble or cool too quickly. Limestone is another example, it can crack and deteriorate under intense fire.
The difference comes down to density, dryness, and structure.
𝗔 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗵𝗮̄𝗻𝗴𝗶̄ 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀:
● Dense
● Dry
● Solid throughout
● Free of cracks
● Volcanic in origin
𝗔 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀:
● Layered
● Soft
● Porous
● Moist internally
● Sedimentary or chalky
𝗛𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼.
Heat is stored, then released slowly. Just like mātauranga. Just like whakapapa. The kōhatu do not rush the process. They hold the fire, then give it back to nourish the people.
The oven, the leaves, the soil, the baskets, the stones, all from the same whenua as the kai itself. Nothing separate. Nothing imported. This is something to appreciate ❤️💛❤️
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗮𝗼.
