18/07/2026
The suburb I call home, Toi Toi in Nelson, takes its name from this beautiful native grass.
Toetoe has been part of Aotearoa’s story for generations, with Māori using many parts of the plant for practical purposes, from the soft plumes to help stop bleeding, to the hollow stems used for making kite frames.
For many of us growing up, it was simply part of the landscape. We knew it as “cutty grass” because those sharp-edged leaves could leave a mark, but the stems also became imaginary horses on childhood adventures 🦄
I was drawn to these plumes in the early morning light, when the sun turned them golden, glowing against the deep shadows of the bush behind.
