Napier launches ‘copycat’ wild food festival

Wildfoods festival organisers have said they are not worried about North Island “copycats” after it was announced that Napier would this year host its own Wildfoods-style festival.
Hokitika Wildfoods festival coordinator Mike Keenan yesterday confirmed that there was no copyright issue surrounding the use of the name, as it was only the Hokitika festival logo that was covered by copyright.
“It is a bit of a surprise, but from our point of view it will be interesting to see how they go,” he said.
Mr Keenan said he had not had any contact with anyone from Napier but stated that the Hokitika festival, which has been going for 21 years, was the first and that anyone else would just be copying.
“I haven’t spoken to anybody about it but we have had people that have tried before.
“We are just staggered by the continued amount of interest shown in our festival. It is listed as one of 99 things to do before you die and interest is still very high.”
The Napier-based Kai in the Bay Maori and Wild Food Festival will be held in November and will be an alcohol-free event. The festival was officially launched yesterday and organisers have said they hope to make it an annual event.
Henry Heke told the Dominion Post he hopes it will grow to become a major annual event. Proceeds will go to charity.
“I’ve spun the idea off the Hokitika Wildfood Festival, which is a long way away from here.”
The Maori element of the food will include koura mara, which is rotten or fermented crayfish, and kanga piro – rotten corn.
“We’ll have a hangi which will be unique because there’ll be no meat, only fish – Maori used to eat a lot of fish,” Mr Heke said. “And we’re hoping to have some shark liver, like a pate.
“On the wild food side, we’ll have wild pork, wild deer, wild goats, maybe even possum.”