Hāngi (Māori Earth Oven)
Traditional earth oven of the Māori, in which stones that can withstand great heat — usually river and greywacke stones rather than beach rocks, which can shatter — are heated in a shallow pit until white-hot. Food is laid on the stones in woven baskets, covered with leaves and cloth, and sealed with earth so that the meal steams slowly over several hours. The hāngi has cooked for hui (gatherings), tangihanga (funerals), Waitangi Day and Christmas for generations, and while modern cooks often heat the stones with gas, the principle and the shared meal remain the heart of Māori hospitality.