The pigeons of Pigeon Bay

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 30

The pigeons of Pigeon Bay

By STEVE LOWNDES of the Akaroa Museum Pigeon Bay, after Lyttelton and Akaroa, is the best harbour on the Peninsula. When whalers first called there in the 1830 s, they were amazed at the number of pigeons they saw and named the bay accordingly. The Maoriname for the bay. is Wakaroa, possibly derived (as is Akaroa) from the word Whangaroa, which means a large body of water. On one map it appears with the name Pitlnepe, which is a Maori transliteration of Pigeon Bay. There is no evidence to show that there was ever a significant pa site, but the bay would certainly have been a resting place on the journey from Koukourarata (Port Levy) to Akaroa, and would have had a resident population. During the earliest days of European occupation, there were only three to four families living in the bay, and what the population might have been in earlier years is hard to gauge as te Rauparaha destroyed the main settlement at Komutumutu (Holmes Bay) in the early 1830 s. The Kereru, or native wood pigeon, is now a protected species, but it was a major source of food for the Maori and the Pakeha. At this time of the year, between early May and the end of July, huge flocks of pigeons flew over from the West Coast to feed on the matai, kahikatea and miro berries. James Hay in his delightful book, “Reminis-

cences,” talks of the birds which “actually darken the sky when betwixt me and the sun.” Before firearms were readily available, the most common way of catching them was by setting up a perch and row of flax nooses beside a stream. The pigeons, gorged and thirsty after eating berries, would fly down to the stream to drink. Choosing the convenient perch, they would dip their heads through the nooses and soon become ensnared. The birds, which were caught in great numbers, were plucked, boned and roasted on a spit They were then stored in gourds or containers made from kelp and totara bark, and preserved In fat which had been collected during cooking. Once sealed, the containers were identified with a bunch of feathers and stored as part of the economic and social wealth of the family or hapu. Potted birds were traded for eels from Waihora on a regular basis, and as far south as the Mackenzie Country on an annual basis. The Europeans also relied heavily on pigeon as a source of food. The pigeon was roasted before a good fire or baked with a piece of butter inside. “Baste well, and cook for about three quarters of an hour according to age; season well with salt and pepper, dredge flour over, basting and browning before serving.” Here is another recipe

for Stewed Pigeons: “Tie them in shape; place slices of bacon at the bottom of a stewpan, and lay in the pigeons, side by side, their breasts uppermost. Add a sliced carrot, and onion with a clove stuck in, a teaspoonful of sugar and some parsley, and pour over enough stock, or boiling water, to cover them; lay some sliced bacon over the tops of the pigeons, and cover the saucepan. Let them simmer until they are tender, adding more water or stock, as may be necessary. Serve each pigeon on a slice of buttered toast.” The gorgeous plumage of the Kereru is said to be due to that mischievous hero, Maui, who wanted to find out where his mother went each day at dawn. One night, he delayed her departure by hiding her loincloth and belt. Eventually, she fled down to the underworld without them so Maui became a pigeon and flew after her carrying her garments. The white breast and purple green ruff of the Kereru.are his mother’s loincloth and belt. The green and white feathers of the Kereru

were used as material for making ceremonial cloaks and there is a beautiful example of this work at the Okains Bay Museum. So many birds have disappeared from the Peninsula as a consequence of the saw milling and bush fires of the last century it is hard for us _ now to imagine the wonder of their presence. James Hay, once more, leaves us this first-hand account: “With the bush have gone the native birds that haunted it and filled it with song. In the spring, the notes of the tuls, makomakos, and other little bush songsters filled the air. In the autumn, they were still more in evidence, for their ranks were swelled by the fledglings. Other birds were the native robin, native canary, etc. Paroquets darted in wavy green lines amongst the forest trees, and the pigeons soared and sank again into the tops of the matais.” Akaroa — heartland of history since time began. Explore Pigeon Bay and ail the other most interesting bays. We guarantee, every one is different and important.

More time will be needed for your stay so, now Is the time — “Come on over” — often. The advertisers all support the criteria of friendly service, relaxed shopping so follow the trail and enjoy yourselves.