TUNA KUWHARUWHARU

Words and artwork by Te Huihui o Matariki Chí Huy Tran (he/him; Taranaki, Te iwi o Maruwharanui)

Eels: te kupu Māori mō te tuna. A type of animal that is considered culturally significant in many different aspects of Māori culture. Eels were a staple food source for Māori, and still they are an important part of many feasts and celebrations. Māori mythology and stories from different iwi say that eels were seen as ngā kaitiaki o ō tātou awa, roto, me ngā moana. Nowadays, eels in Aotearoa are facing several threats, including habitat loss, pollution, overfishing, and the effects of climate change. Some species of eels are also threatened by the introduction of non-native species. As a result, eel populations have declined significantly over the past few decades. That should turn on alarm bells for actions to be taken before these awesome koha nō ngā Atua completely disappear in the near future.