Ikawai: Freshwater Fishes in Māori Culture and Economy

Ikawai is the landmark publication which draws together all that has ever been written about the role of freshwater fishes in the lives of early Māori.

Species such as tuna (eels), kanakana (lamprey), inanga and kokopu were of high importance in the traditional diets of Māori, who were well aware of the places and seasons in which these fish could be harvested. 
 
Bob McDowall made it his life’s work to read every word ever written on the subject of Māori fisheries, from passing references in explorers’ diaries, to the significant literary achievements of Elsdon Best and Te Rangi Hiroa in the 1920s, to the recent reports of the Waitangi Tribunal.

In Ikawai, all the knowledge on record is connected into a coherent account for the first time, and interpreted in the light of modern scientific knowledge of the fish fauna.
 
As well as being highly informative, Ikawai also serves to illustrate the beauty associated with Māori fisheries.

Bob amassed an extraordinary collection of photographs of the fish themselves, of the artefacts Māori customarily used in catching fish, and of artworks by modern Māori practitioners, some reflecting the many legends and stories associated with fish. He also unearthed some stunning and highly significant historical images that were hidden away in archives, libraries and photographic collections.
 
This compendium is an essential resource for anyone interested in the lives and livelihood of New Zealand’s earliest settlers.