Kuki Reka Kani Māra Cookie Cutters Set of 3

Pōhutukawa New Zealand Christmas Tree): The Pōhutukawa for Māori is a sacred tree, legend tells of the young Māori warrior, Tawhaki and his attempt to find help in heaven to avenge his father's death. He subsequently fell to earth and the bright red flowers are said to represent his blood. Potentially the most famous Pōhutukawa in Māori legend is a small, old tree near Cape Reinga where the spirits of the dead pass on their way to the next world.

Also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree, Pōhutukawa are often found in coastal areas and are well known for their large, red flowers on display around Christmas time. The Pōhutukawa cookie cutter represents the flower of the tree in all its beautiful whero/red glory.

Kawakawa (Pepper Tree): The Kawakawa for Māori is a source of rongoa, used for medicinal purposes in matters ranging from stomach ailments, bladder problems and even toothache. Wāhine Māori in certain areas will also wear a wreath of Kawakawa on their head during a tangi/funeral ceremony as a sign of mourning.

Also known as the pepper tree, the Kawakawa is a small, densely-branched shrub/tree with gorgeous heart-shaped leaves. The Kawakawa cookie cutter represents the beautifully shaped leaf in a striking deep green.

Kōwhai (Yellow): Kōwhai is the Māori word meaning yellow, and the Kōwhai tree, a native of New Zealand is well known for their bright and beautiful yellow flowers that are also regarded as one of New Zealand’s unofficial national flowers. There are several species, some having healing properties such as solutions made from boiling the bark or leaves for applying to cuts, wounds and infections. In Māori folklore the Kōwhai is a Puawānanga tree.

Puawānanga was said to be the child of the stars Puanga (Rigel in Orion) and Rehua (Antares in Scorpio). In some traditions, the appearance of Puanga signalled winter and Rehua summer – Puawānanga trees flower in the months between them.

The Kōwhai cookie cutter design showcases the bright yellow of the Kōwhai flowers whilst also capturing the flowers, pods and leaf stem in its shape.

Kuki Reka Kani: Kaumātua Inspired Cookie Cutters

The Kuki Reka Kani are unique cookie cutters, inspired, developed and named by our lovely  Kaumātua at Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust. The cutters were initiated to help Kaumātua  with dementia, to engage in cooking therapy that promoted Te Ao Māori, cultural heritage, and  whakapapa in a social and fun way. Cooking therapy stimulates smell, taste and touch senses in dementia patients which can bring back memories from decades ago.

Several hui were held with groups of Kaumātua to help identify the most appropriate Māori designs for use in kai. The chefs at Rauawaawa helped shape the development of the designs to ensure the cutters worked easily with people from Kaumātua engaged in cooking therapy, tamariki in schools, rangatahi in home economics classes, home cooks and their whānau and professional chefs.

The cutters are designed to cut through the dough and leave a pattern imprinted on the dough in one easy push. This makes them gentle on both elderly hands as well as providing a large grip for children to hold. The patterns reflect the look of a chiseled whakairo rākau (wood carving), an important aspect in Māori culture.