all posts.

Climb like this forest vine! Kareao, supplejack, Ripogonum scandens The thick, black scrambling vines of kareao  are a distinctive feature of the New Zealand bush. They twist, bind, and climb from the forest floor into the canopy, forming dense, tangled networks. Moving through areas of kareao requires climbing, twisting, ducking, and pulling - a full-body negotiation with the forest. In Māori tradition, kareao grew from the tail of Tunaroa , the monstrous eel god. After Māui

Shelter shaped from the wetland raupō, bullrush, Typha orientalis Raupō is a tall wetland plant grows along rivers, lakes, and swamp margins across Aotearoa. Its long, flat leaves rise from saturated ground, forming dense stands at the water’s edge and signalling healthy, functioning wetlands. For Māori, raupō was a valued building material. Its leaves were harvested, dried, and layered to create warm, water-resistant walls for whare , particularly in low-lying or timber-scar