Iria Bau Confection

The STEM community of the Red Highlands contains a high concentration of the indigenous Reitai people whose education system is story-based and led in circular groups by a storyteller. This cave-like playhouse built into the cliffside we discovered is carved with elaborate myth and teaching stories. Children dress in costumes with masks carved of muka wood and serve a meringue-like, sun-dried confection made of muka nuts and lulai berries as a final closing act of each play.

The recipe was recently discovered in ancient books as well as a review of a performance from the 1930s.