Noke (worms)

{{Infobox food

| name = Noke

| type = Earthworm delicacy reserved for chiefs

| name_lang =

| place_of_origin = New Zealand

| variations = Worm sushi and chocolate truffles with crystallized worm

}}

File:Megascolecidae Auckland Island iNat 182765937.jpg]]

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2024}}

Noke is a culinary term used by the Māori of New Zealand to refer to earthworms. Some types of native worms (called noke whiti and noke kurekure in Māori) are historically local delicacies reserved for chiefs because of their sweet flavour, which was said to "remain in the mouth for two days". Another notable kind of worm, the noke waiū (possibly Octochaetus multiporus), was prized as eel fishing bait due to its large size and bioluminescence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/20-native-and-introduced-earthworms|title=Native and introduced earthworms|website=Science Learning Hub}} Noke has more recently become a popular trend at certain New Zealand wild food festivals, where it is often served in modern fusion dishes such as worm sushi and chocolate truffles with crystallized worm.{{Cite web|url=https://www.notquitenigella.com/2010/03/25/worm-sushi-huhu-grubs-grasshoppers-hokitika-wild-foods-festival-new-zealand/|title=Worm Sushi, Huhu Grubs & Grasshoppers - Hokitika Wild Foods Festival, New Zealand|first=Lorraine|last=Elliott|website=Not Quite Nigella}}

According to Māori mythology, the trickster Māui once transformed himself into a noke worm in order to crawl into the womb of the underworld goddess Hine-nui-te-pō and gain everlasting life.Anthony Alpers, Maori Myths and Tribal Legends. Anckland : Longman Paul, 1964. {{ISBN|0-582-71674-8}}. Due to its having characteristics of both males and females, it was considered divine.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}