Funcionalidades de sistema domótico

The cultivation, cooking and eating of Taewa appeared to be strongly associated with cultural, historical and emotional values as shown by the comments made by the group discussion participants presented in this section.

3.4.4.2.a. Cultural and Historical Value

Among the participants, particularly those of Māori descent, the eating of Taewa was used as a means of promoting cultural values such as manaakitanga (the sharing of food with others,

being a good host and giving guests the best you have to offer) or whanaungatanga

(developing kinship within or between families or others). Cultivating and eating Taewa was also linked with the desire to continue and pass on a traditional practice.

“... for Māori potatoes … we (Māori) value it more, it’s really something that's quite

special .... we'd hold it back for us, nobody else”.

“I like the idea of continuing something that has been a traditional practice. I like the idea of sharing that kind of thing with my kids so that it’s something that’s familiar with them, not something that was in the past that's not a living practice anymore. Appeal of Taewa is that they come with a story. They have cultural significance, are unique to this country. You can’t find exact replicas elsewhere. They have been grown by our own

people and have been used by Māori for years”.

“... with this Nanny that we lived with, that the Māori potato was definitely something

special like even though we had it all the time at her place, it was like a delicacy, a spoil herself thing and she's always said that when people would come over and stuff, it's about manaakitanga (hospitality), having kai(food) available so it's just like how you would say maybe when you'd have guests, you would offer them a biscuit, that she’d

have Māori potatoes available there”.

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“My grandfather... had about 20 acres of garden so it was our job to plant and all his kids and grandchildren would go back and do that”.

“My grandfather had huge plantations, especially of Māori potatoes ... and just grew

them and gave them away, for his family and other families that visited, or people that

needed them”.

(Group Discussions, 2010)

3.4.4.2.b. Emotional Value

As discussed previously in Section 1.6.4. of this thesis it also appears that in New Zealand, Taewa were highly valued because their cultivation or use was associated with childhood or family memories; special occasions such as Christmas or Matariki (celebration of New Year for Māori); with eating a hangi or with other foods relished but not regularly eaten.

“When I was growing up.... my Dad’s parents, they boiled and roasted them, my

grandmother just for me”.

“I usually only do them for over the Christmas period. ... Our pakeke (parents,

grandparents) ... like having Māori potatoes because it reminds them of their childhood.

If we can give them (the Taewa) to them, they like to have them”. “I mostly just have them at special occasions ... mostly in hangi”.

“I think if it was just for me, I would choose the Māori potato (over a modern potato)

because they have memories attached to them and that makes them nicer”.

“... And that it's not available all the time so we treasure those moments and they were special moments for us when those (Taewa) were put on the table. ... Rarity of Taewa

made them special. ...With Māori potatoes ... I don’t care what the shape or thing is like,

it’s a delicacy”.

“... And that it's not available all the time so we treasure those moments and they were special moments for us when those (Taewa) were put on the table. ... Rarity of Taewa

made them special. ...With Māori potatoes ... I don’t care what the shape or thing is like,

it’s a delicacy”.

“It's sort of like an absolute treat but it comes with memories of working all those hours in the garden but you know it’s just something that you value more”.

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“I think like the feelings and that it brought back memories, family memories of being together and that it was a special occasion for us when we had them and I can always recall fond memories of how we'd walk in the door and we'd ask what was for dinner and she'd say 'Oh there's Moemoes on the stove' and how excited we used to be and feel about it and not wanting to share them with anybody else. But she would always ring other family members up and they'd come over and we just have fun as a family. We'd sing a lot of music. So those are the sort of feelings that it brought back when I think about Moemoe - as a family coming together to share”.

“... And that it's not available all the time so we treasure those moments and they were special moments for us when those (Taewa) were put on the table. ... Rarity of Taewa

made them special. ...With Māori potatoes ... I don’t care what the shape or thing is like,

it’s a delicacy”.

(Group Discussions, 2010)