Maori traditions stay alive through food in rural Western Australia

Through her cooking, one young regional Australian keeps her Maori traditions alive in a West Australian mining town.

Transcript

00:00I live in Kinvalda, a small mining town in remote Western Australia.

00:08There's no food delivery apps or fancy restaurants out here.

00:13But on Sundays, Mum and I have become outback delivery drivers.

00:18We portion homemade meals and drop them off to our Maldi family all over town.

00:23We might be 4,000 kilometres from New Zealand, but our community here is strong.

00:29We love to share. It's a big part of our culture and it's how we stay connected.

00:36In exchange, we get fried bread, a dish all Maldi's love.

00:42I also cook for myself.

00:47I used to have a hard time with my mental health, so I started to cook to get my mind off things.

00:53One day, Mum joined in. That's when I opened up about my struggles.

00:58I'm great at sharing food, but I find it hard to share my thoughts and feelings.

01:05When I'm focused on the clear instructions of a recipe, I feel calm and I can have vulnerable conversations.

01:12It's good to get things out.

01:15Even though I've never been to Aotearoa, I love cooking Maldi food the best.

01:20Kiwis have been coming to the goldfields to mine for over a century.

01:27When I cook with Mum, I feel a connection with my culture.

01:32She tells me stories of our land while we cook our version of a hangi.

01:37We put a drum on top of a flame, wrap the meat and veggies in a mesh cloth, and the food becomes hard but soft.

01:46The perfect consistency.

01:49Mum tells me about the mid-eyes, a place of refuge where everyone congregates and eats on a sacred site.

01:56Sharing meals makes Maldi feel a bit sacred too.

02:01I know if I feel disconnected, the kitchen will always be my refuge.

02:08Even when I struggle to speak, I'll never forget how good it feels to share.

02:15I don't know if I mine for anything, I never forget how good it feels to share for you.

02:25I will see you soon.

02:27I will see you soon.

02:30I will see you soon.

02:34I will see you soon.

02:37I will see you soon.

02:40I will see you soon.