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• More than one hundred types of mollusks of this
same family thrive in many coastal areas across
the globe and are commonly known as abalone
in America and Australia, ormer in the UK,
perlemon in South Africa), awabi in Japan, baui
in Burma, and is also called ormeau (France),
seeohr (Germany), oreja de mar (Spain).
• Riverton has the world’s largest paua shells on
show on the main street. Also known for its giant
4-metre high paua shell lined with genuine paua,
you will see it as you enter town. It was originally
created to draw attention to the factory shop
and has been one of 10 New Zealand town icons
featured on a NZ Post stamp from 1998, shown.
• Paua shells make up the decoration on
Xena’s first chakra in the hit TV series
Xena:
Warrior Princess.
Although the show was set
predominately in Ancient Greece, it was used
because the show was filmed in New Zealand.
• Maori farmers used paua shells with their
iridescent blue, green and pink colours in their
gardens, placed flank wise, to help nurture
seedlings.
• There are no records to tell us how long ago the
maori named the area of Pauanui, but one can
only guess why. (
Nui
in Maori means large, big,
many, plentiful, numerous, superior.) At that
time, they must have found an abundant supply
of large colourful paua along its rocky shore.
Courtesy of Seafood Training Organisation. For a learning resource guide and to
learn more about the biology of a paua see
www.seafoodito.co.nz/file/3285
.
Head tentacle
–to taste/touch the environment
Eye
(tip of stalks–light detecting not image forming)
Mouth
– food is dragged here and the rasp (or radula) then grind food
Foot
–for adhesion to the surface and locomotion
Skirt
(epipodium)
Skirt
(epipodial) tentacle–to taste/touch environment
Mantle
–contains the cells which make the shell
Gill
– for uptake of oxygen from the water and release of carbon dioxide.
Mantle cleft
–allows the water carrying oxygen (respiratory current) to pass over
gills and exit through respiratory pores in shell.
Right adductor muscle
–attaches paua to shell
Heart
–simple two-chambered heart which pumps blood to organs. It contains copper-
based haemocyanin and is pale-blue coloured as opposed to iron-based haemoglobin
(red) in mammals. Lacks clotting agent, so if damaged will readily bleed to death.
Liver
(digestive gland)–produces the fluids to break down seaweeds eaten
Gonad
–surrounds the digestive gland and produces eggs or sperm for reproduction
–creamy white in males, a grey-green in females.
7
WWW.PAKUVIEWS.CO.NZ
After removing feathery edge and teeth from two medium
paua, mince. Melt butter in pan and saute 1 chopped
small onion. Add minced paua and fry together 10-15
minutes. Add fresh cream and simmer (don’t boil)
Season to taste. Serve on toast or as a side dish.
Paua is considered to have the most colorful inner
shell in the world; other mollusks from
Haliotidae
family can’t compete with its shine and beauty,
especially after polishing. Paua’s earthy rainbow colors
make the shells an attractive material for different
carvings and crafts. Some Paua have golden exterior
shells, with dark shades of red.
To Maori, paua are considered
taonga
, or treasure –
esteemed both as
kaimoana
(seafood) and a valued
resource for traditional and contemporary arts
and crafts.
Maori have used the shell of the paua for centuries as
personal ornaments and inlay pieces in ritual carvings.
The shells are used particularly for eyes. In Maori
lore, eyes are associated with the stars or
whetű
,
and symbolic for ancestors that gaze down from the
night sky. Also known as
mata-a-ruru–
meaning
eyes
of the owl
–and are identified as being all-seeing and
all-wise.
The paua flesh is edible and sought after as a national
delicacy. With a protein content of about 15 percent
and a fat content of only 2.4 percent, it’s a healthy
choice as well. It is also a good source of minerals and
vitamins as well as linoleic and linolenic acids, both
essential fatty acids.
Cooking paua to perfection, however, requires
attention and good timing. This is because like other
varieties of univalve, or single shell shellfish, paua can
easily become tough and have a rubbery texture due to
preparation or overcooking.
Known for its healing properties, paua extract is used
as a base for many skin care products.
The myths and legends of New Zealand’s earliest
inhabitants, the Maori tell us that once, in the days of
old, Paua had no shell.
Tangaroa, god of the sea, saw the difficulties that this
created for Paua and decided to create something
special for him.
“I will take from my domain the coolest blues of the
ocean”, said Tangaroa to Paua. “And ask of my brother
Tane the freshest greens of the forest. From the dawn
you shall have a violet, and of the sunset, reds and
pinks. And overall there will be a shimmer of mother
of pearl”.
With this, Tangaroa fashioned a wonderful coat that
sparkled and dazzled with its beauty. This pleased Paua
much, but the fragile shell was soon broken by the other
curious and envious sea creatures.
Seeing this, Tangaroa strengthened the shell with many
more layers of the beautiful colours and then armoured
the shell with a tough textured outer coat, coloured with
greys and browns to camouflage with the sea bed.
Tangaroa then charged Paua with the life-long task of
adding layer upon delicate layer, each a different hue
and blend.
So it was that Paua got his shell. He hugs the secret of
his inner beauty to himself and only, at the end of his
life, when his empty shell washes ashore, is his artistry
revealed, evident for all to see and admire.
Maui was a demi-god, who possessed magic powers
and is mentioned in many Maori legends. One of the tales
tells us of a legendary fishing trip. On this trip, Maui used
a magical fishing hook made from Paua shell and a few
other ingredients to pull the islands of Aotearoa from the
depths of the ocean, creating the land we now call New
Zealand. To this day the North Island is known to Maori as
Te Ika a Maui or Maui’s fish. Take a look at a map of New
Zealand to see the fish’s head in the south and its tail in
the north.
Tangaroa, God of the Sea, is one of the children of Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatuanuku (Earth Mother).
Tane, God of the Forest and Tangaroa’s older brother, created the dawn, as well as Tiki, the first man.