How to take up a Hungi

On New Year's evening I was invited to a Hungi. I was only there for the 'taking up'. The 'putting down' started at 8am. Basically you collect river rocks and light a big fire over them. It takes about 4 hours (depending on how many rocks you have) to heat them enough to cook your dinner. While you are waiting you dig a big hole, this one was about 3 feet deep and line it with wet sacks. You also need to prepare the food. Everything gets parcelled up into cloth bags that are also soaked and put into a wire basket. When the rocks are hot enough you pile them into the bottom of the hole, put the basket on top, an old sheet (also soaked) on top of the basket then fold over the sacks to seal it all in. Then you pile the dirt back on top.

Leave for about 5 hours.

At the end of that this is what you have...

scraping away the dirt...

then unwrapping the basket...

Then unbagging the meat and veg...

And lastly a little Hungi first aid, even leather gloves aren't always enough.

There was enough in that basket to feed 40 people, most of us had seconds there was enough left over for meals the next day for the cooks and their families.