tawaka

A species of fungus, grows in summer on dead trees and logs of tawa, houhi and mähoe (Best 1908, 1942)

FOOD Gathered in summer and steamed. Sometimes prepared by the huahua or kohua process (stone-boiling). Grow to a great size. Best states that he saw specimens 12 inches in diameter growing on half-decayed tawa stumps (Best 1908, 1942).

DYES "Ka mumura katoa te wai i tunua ai taua tawaka" - the water in which the tawaka was cooked becomes red (or perhaps brown) (Best 1903)

TRADITIONS Best mentions that if a person who has eaten tawaka passes through a gourd plot, all the gourds will decay on the runners. Similarly, if that person were to go netting the kokopu Galaxias fasciatus, he wouldn't catch any.