Whanganui Māori depended on the awa (river) for food. The awa was famous for its pā tuna (eel weirs) and utu piharau (lamprey weirs).

In 1890 there were about 350 weirs on the awa, designed to intercept tuna and funnel them into hīnaki (traps) as they headed out to the Pacific Ocean each year to breed for the first time, and then die.

Māori gathered over 58 types of kai (food) from the awa, including koura wai māori (fresh water crayfish) and kākahi (fresh water mussels), caught native fish like kokopu using kupenga īnanga (whitebait nets) in spring and other methods when the fully-grown adults returned.