This is known as the toheroa, and is somewhat similar in form to the oyster, although it is contained in a larger shell.
Its presence is usually detected by a hole in the top of the sand, and it is usually found a few inches below the surface at low tide.
It makes a delicious soup, but the trouble is to get rid of the sand.
Importance of te ao Māori
He would be a poor New Zealander wherever he lives who did not take a personal pride in our native race. The high place which the Maori enjoys in the esteem of the community of New Zealand has undoubtedly been won by his own sheer merit. The foundations of the mutual respect that marks the relations between the two races in the dominion were laid during the Maori wars, when the high courage, chivalry, tenacity and skill in military tactics displayed by the Natives extorted the admiration of the British regiments. In later days outstanding members of the Maori race have showed themselves able to take a respectable place in many occupations. Ten or twenty years ago there was some ground for believing that the race was seriously decreasing in number. At the present time the evidence points the other way. Though many thousands in the North Island are living remote from civilisation there is inevitably a strong tendency for their most interesting customs and crafts and lore to pass away. It is gratifying, therefore, to note that the Native School Teachers’ Association is setting itself resolutely to foster racial pride among the Maoris, and to preserve, as far as possible, the best traditions of the race. To this end the annual conference of the Association has asked the Education Department to afford reasonable liberty to teachers to introduce into their programme of work suitable Maori folk songs, handwork, a simple war dance, and the haka and poi movements. It has also decided to make representations to the University Senate that the Maori language should be made a compulsory subject for all Maoris sitting for the matriculation. Probably in no other country in the world do white and dark races live together without the existence of any colour problem. The splendid loyalty of the Maoris to the British Crown expresses their sense of appreciation of the attitude of the pakeha towards them and of the extension to them of that impartial justice for which the British Empire stands. But the danger that in their acceptance of the white men’s conditions and modes of life the old Maori customs may not only die out but in the course of time be forgotten is year by year becoming more real. This applies with special force to the records of the South Island tribes. No doubt because of the smallness of their numbers and the comparative scarcity of historic data concerning them they have been largely overlooked by students of the Maori race. In filling gaps in our information regarding the South Island Maoris work that has been done at the Otago University Museum of recent years is of much permanent importance. The traditions of the whole Maori race are worthy of preservation and the Maori lore is full of interest. It is highly gratifying that attention is being bestowed upon the need for the rescuing from oblivion all that is possible of the records of the race with which the history of New Zealand, prior to the advent of the white settlers, is associated. — editorial — ODT, 29.1.1925
Compiled by Peter Dowden
