Kohitātea
Eighth lunar month of the Māori year – approximately equivalent to January
Fruits of the new season are set and ready for ripening, as the karaka berries ripen.
Karaka was a highly valued food for Māori (second only to kūmara) before Europeans introduced the range of crops grown today. Both wild and deliberately planted trees grew throughout the country. Beware though, that the kernel of the karaka berry is very toxic, containing the alkaloid karakin, and it requires careful and protracted leaching, baking and
