Early Māori Agriculture

The sculpture named Maara kai (food gardens), celebrates the distinctive and unique feature of this area, namely the prevalence of food crops and gardens. The sculpture is in the form of a Timo which was a gardening tool used mainly by women. The full proverb of Tawhiao, the second Maaori King, is outlined in his waiata “Te Koopuu Maania o Kirikiriroa me oona maara kai” (“Across the smooth belly of Kirikiriroa its gardens bursting with the fullness of good things”).

Timo, timotimo, or tima were used as grubbers for loosening soil. They were often made from a forked branch, with a flattened blade and a round handle. Some timo were straight, but with the forked-branch variety, their peculiarity lies in the length of the blade, being the same or longer, than the handle.  The timo could be used effectively in a squatting position, and loosened soil too hard to be worked by a broad-bladed tool.