Darius Martin-Baker, Ngāpuhi (Waimā and Ngāwhā), is as comfortable treading the boards as the bard as he is pioneering research into the medicinal properties of kūmara vines.
The 21-year-old Northlander performed in King Lear at London’s iconic Globe Theatre as part of a special performance by the Young Shakespeare Company three years ago and then went on to head up social enterprise Youth Arts New Zealand, reflecting his dedication to empowering rangatahi and fostering environments where cultural identity and innovation sit side by side.
It was his sister’s desire to find a traditional cure for a niggling stomach problem that first piqued Darius’ interest in developing a protein-based drink derived from the kūmara plant, believed to have been introduced to New Zealand by Polynesian settlers in the 13th century.
His sister, a practitioner in rongoā Māori, or traditional Māori healing, had pointed out the health properties of a rampant kūmara vine she had growing inside, which led Darius to look more closely into the value-added potential of the vine, the above-ground portion of the kūmara plant.
With an annual production of nearly 200,000 tonnes of kūmara going unused, Darius’ goal was to unlock the potential of the vines by identifying bioactive compounds with anti-carcinogenic, anti-cardiovascular disease, and anti-diabetic properties – based on a research paper released by the University of Arkansas.
“My expectations are also based on mātauranga (Māori knowledge) passed down from my whakapapa,” says Darius, who has also chaired the Whangārei District Council Youth Advisory Group and was recognised for his rangatahi leadership skills in Te Tai Tokerau Māori Business Awards.
“A large part of why I’m doing this is to whakamana (empower) the mana of rongoā among the general public, and to normalise the use of plant-based health products as a key part of Māori -based healing.”
Through rigorous analysis being conducted by a team of Callaghan Innovation scientists and a $70,000 grant from the Bioresource Processing Alliance, Darius is aiming to determine the protein and amino acid concentrations within the vines, develop an efficient extraction process for these bioactive compounds and formulate a protein-based beverage. This would be used to support cancer patients, and those with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, as well as serving as a general protein supplement for everyday use.
Darius is very excited about the previously untapped potential of the vines, both to help support communities around the Kaipara district – one of the main kūmara-growing regions in the country – and to support the hauora (health) of those people who use it.
“Kumara vine has been used by tangata whenua since the plant was first grown in Aotearoa, but this will be the first ever research project to investigate and hopefully commercialise the health properties of the vine,” says Darius. “I’m incredibly excited about the potential of introducing a sustainable, scientifically endorsed rongoā Māori product that’s accessible for everyone around the motu.”
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