Reasserting food in place: the case of Kai Whau

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article considers relationships and intersections between place, community and foodscapes. We present a case study of the making of a foodscape in The Whau, a local authority area of Auckland, New Zealand, involving place-making activities generated by the food-oriented initiative, Kai Whau (food in The Whau). We examine how food is invoked as core for place-making in response to community disruption following re-drawing of regional electoral boundaries. Findings are drawn from interviews and discussions with key stakeholders from food-related community organisations in the region, secondary materials (policy and scoping documents, funding applications, educational outreach materials from Kai Whau), and historical documentation of the region. We overview the historical significance of food in this region and briefly outline governance reforms that facilitated the Kai Whau initiative. Drawing on theoretical work on centring, we show how Kai Whau, and its associated food-related community initiatives and organisations, function as both centres and centring agents for place-making and community-building. This is accomplished through facilitating food flows and food knowledge across the community and promoting gatherings around food. We conclude that relational processes of placemaking underpin food-related activities across The Whau, acting to build, connect, and strengthen communities.