At Tracy Aviary's Pia Okwai Nature Center, an extraordinary culinary revival is underway—one that connects modern visitors with cooking methods dating back millennia. The underground earth oven, a nearly universal cooking technology found across indigenous cultures worldwide, is becoming a focal point for cultural preservation and community engagement.
A Living Tradition Across Continents
The technique is deceptively simple: heat volcanic rocks in an earthen pit, layer food with aromatic leaves, then cover with soil to slow-cook for hours. Yet this method represents one of humanity's most enduring culinary technologies, appearing in remarkably similar forms across Oceania and the Americas.
In Fiji, it's called Lovo—a communal cooking method central to celebrations. Samoans know it as Umu, while Hawaiians call it Imu. New Zealand's Māori tradition of Hāngī carries particular spiritual significance, with master practitioner Rewi Spraggon explaining how the term combines "hā" (breath of life) and "ngī" (spark of the land).
Across the Pacific in Latin America, variations appear as Pachamanca in the Andes or Pib in Maya communities, where the same term describes both cooking pits and ceremonial sweat lodges—a testament to the deep cultural connections between nourishment, ritual, and community.
Pia Okwai: Where Culture and Conservation Meet
Tracy Aviary, while primarily known for avian conservation, has increasingly focused on the intersection of ecological and cultural preservation. The Pia Okwai Nature Center—whose name translates to "good place" in a local indigenous language—has become a hub for this work.
"We recognize that protecting species requires understanding the cultural contexts they exist within," explained a center representative. "These cooking traditions represent sustainable food systems that have nourished communities for generations while maintaining balance with local ecosystems."
The center recently marked Māori New Year (Matariki) with its first Umu feast, guided by Samoan underground oven expert Samoana Matagi. Participants learned the intricate process—from selecting volcanic stones to layering taro leaves—while discovering how these methods vary across Polynesia.
Building a Permanent Legacy
Currently using temporary installations, the center aims to construct a permanent earth oven for ongoing programming. "This isn't just about demonstrating historical techniques," noted a cultural programs coordinator. "We're creating space for local communities to maintain living traditions while introducing new audiences to these culinary heritages."
Future plans include workshops on regional variations—contrasting the banana leaf-wrapped meats of Pacific traditions with the herb-marinated meats of Andean Pachamanca—while exploring their shared emphasis on communal preparation and seasonal ingredients.
As one participant observed after the Matariki celebration: "There's something profound about food that's quite literally cooked by the earth itself. It tastes like history, community, and connection all at once."
At Tracy Aviary's Pia Okwai Nature Center, an extraordinary culinary revival is underway—one that connects modern visitors with cooking methods dating back millennia. The underground earth oven, a nearly universal cooking technology found across indigenous cultures worldwide, is becoming a focal point for cultural preservation and community engagement.
A Living Tradition Across Continents
The technique is deceptively simple: heat volcanic rocks in an earthen pit, layer food with aromatic leaves, then cover with soil to slow-cook for hours. Yet this method represents one of humanity's most enduring culinary technologies, appearing in remarkably similar forms across Oceania and the Americas.
In Fiji, it's called Lovo—a communal cooking method central to celebrations. Samoans know it as Umu, while Hawaiians call it Imu. New Zealand's Māori tradition of Hāngī carries particular spiritual significance, with master practitioner Rewi Spraggon explaining how the term combines "hā" (breath of life) and "ngī" (spark of the land).
Across the Pacific in Latin America, variations appear as Pachamanca in the Andes or Pib in Maya communities, where the same term describes both cooking pits and ceremonial sweat lodges—a testament to the deep cultural connections between nourishment, ritual, and community.
Pia Okwai: Where Culture and Conservation Meet
Tracy Aviary, while primarily known for avian conservation, has increasingly focused on the intersection of ecological and cultural preservation. The Pia Okwai Nature Center—whose name translates to "good place" in a local indigenous language—has become a hub for this work.
"We recognize that protecting species requires understanding the cultural contexts they exist within," explained a center representative. "These cooking traditions represent sustainable food systems that have nourished communities for generations while maintaining balance with local ecosystems."
The center recently marked Māori New Year (Matariki) with its first Umu feast, guided by Samoan underground oven expert Samoana Matagi. Participants learned the intricate process—from selecting volcanic stones to layering taro leaves—while discovering how these methods vary across Polynesia.
Building a Permanent Legacy
Currently using temporary installations, the center aims to construct a permanent earth oven for ongoing programming. "This isn't just about demonstrating historical techniques," noted a cultural programs coordinator. "We're creating space for local communities to maintain living traditions while introducing new audiences to these culinary heritages."
Future plans include workshops on regional variations—contrasting the banana leaf-wrapped meats of Pacific traditions with the herb-marinated meats of Andean Pachamanca—while exploring their shared emphasis on communal preparation and seasonal ingredients.
As one participant observed after the Matariki celebration: "There's something profound about food that's quite literally cooked by the earth itself. It tastes like history, community, and connection all at once."
