Maori themed books

History and meaning of Maori carvings. Explained through words and photos. Special limited edition 2005.

Weaving was born of necessity. To keep the body warm, to clothe it : Just as potters of pre-history made pots for mankind to hold foods and liquids. Both processes also express the human need to make and create, using the hands and eyes. Weaving of natural, organic materials has soothing ahd therapeutic effect, yet one need not disregarded today's synthetics, even digital technology, in the endevour to express one's creativeness. This book describes briefly the traditional materials that Maori used for weaving over the centu... read more

Covers everything from Actions Songs (waiata Kori) to Xmas (kirihimete)

Compelling history of greenstone, sacred gem to Maori and prized by all New Zealanders.

The Art of Maori Haka DVD - an excellent insight into the history, protocol and song of the Haka. Includes Haka - Ka Mate, Toia Mai and Utaina.

Traditional works in wood, bone, greenstone, feathers and fibre are collected in this guide to Maori art. Art historian Deidre Brown has selected the finest of Brian Brake's photographs and adds an interesting and informative introduction.

Anyone can learn to make a plaited kete, one of the oldest and most popular of Maori art forms, from the leaves of New Zealand flax (phormium tenax). Te Mahi Kete gives detailed, step-by-step instructions, illustrated with numerous line drawings and black-and-white photographs, for preparing the flax and plaiting two simple types of kete. It also shows variations in technique for starting and finishing, making the handles and incorporating a decorative pattern.

This exceptional book highlights over 120 taonga tuku iho (ancestral Maori treasures) from Te Papa's collections. Rich images of these precious objects, are accompanied by stories from the artists who created the taonga, the people who used them in daily life, and their living descendants. Items include traditional carvings, weapons, waka huia (treasure containers), jewellery, and taonga such as puppets used by tohunga (ritual experts) and tools for tamoko (customary skin marking). Maps, diagrams, and additional photographs - both ... read more

Drawing on the most up-to-date scholarship, Maori Art and Design takes a fresh look at the Maori visual arts, with an emphasis not so much on the history of craft as on the design itself. Covering tattooing, drawing and painting, carving and weaving, the book explores the origination, evolution, and significance of the designs, and also explains the materials and techniques used to create them. The book is illustrated throughout with a mix of black-and-white and colour photography, representing the full range of artefacts from hist... read more

Over 50 full colour photos present intricate pendant designs hand-crafted from New Zealand Paua Shell accompanied by practical advice on the equipment and methods required to hand-craft objects made from this beautiful, naturally-occurring material. The author dips into a rich store of Maori symbology and traditional iconography, touching on the significance of designs such as dolphins, whales and whale flukes, cats and dogs, other native animals, the koru, the silver fern, fish-hooks, circles and some astrological and religious si... read more

Every kete has a story. This collection is drawn from the rich store of information and memories associated with kete - these much loved but often overlooked 'baskets of knowledge'. Some stories are short, others grow with the telling. All are told with warmth, humour and humility, giving us insight into how the humble kete so often helps to establish ongoing friendships and relationships. Some stories are told by the kete makers. They tell about the process of weaving a kete - learning the techniques, gathering and preparing the m... read more

59 traditional and contemporary Maori songs arranged or written by Sam Freedman.

A new edition of this iconic book includes new larger format and photographs rescanned from Marti Friedlander's originals. It is an indepth photographic study of the ancient art of moko.

These 50 interesting and entertaining projects are designed to teach beginners the basic skills of the Maori craft of plaiting. Fun with Flax shows how to make items ranging from a simple windmill, a dart and a whistle to more complex puzzles, balls, birds, fish and even a caterpillar. Each project is described one step at a time with easy-to-follow line drawings and instructions. All are fun and will delight children and adults with their ingenuity, their beauty and the amusement they provide. This book is ideal for kohanga reo, p... read more

Bone carving is as old as civilisation itself. Even some of the oldest bone artifacts have decorative features that are clearly not necessary for their functional nature, showing that there have been complex cultural aspects to the carving of bone since earliest times. The first settlers of Aotearoa brought with them the skills of bone carving, both for items of personal adornment and for the manufacture of tools such as fish-hooks. These skills have been passed on, incorporating various cultural adaptations, to the present day. ... read more

Kowhaiwhai, according to John Hovell, is about process, a shorthand summary of the passage of life, and a space within the whare whakairo (decorated meeting house) for the Maori artist to express his wry and droll view of human nature. This book looks at John Hovell's life and work, his ongoing interest in kowhaiwhai, and locates him within a larger story of Maori art. From the mid-1960s, Hovell was part of the contemporary Maori art movement, exhibiting his paintings alongside artists such as Paratene Matchitt and Sandy Adsett, an... read more

To Maori, the governing principle of mauri brings to all objects the power and prescience of a living spirit. Objects that are hand-crafted from wood, stone, shell, bone or pounamu are imbued with life by their creators. Conveying the mauri of an object through photography requires an exceptional talent, one focused on distilling the essential energy of the original piece through shades of lighting, position and perspective. This is what Brian Brake achieved. The photos in this collection constitute the best of Brake's photographic... read more

Weaving is more than just a product of manual skills. From the simple rourou (food basket) to the prestigious kahukiwi (kiwi feather cloak), weaving is endowed with the very essence of the spiritual values of Maori people. The first Maori settlers brought the knowledge of weaving with them. In Aotearoa they found new plant materials, including the versatile harakeke (New Zealand flax). They also incorporated feathers from birds and the skin and hair of their dogs. They wove practical items necessary for everyday life. But they also... read more

Maori Games and Haka is a popular and much loved guide to haka and action songs, poi, stick games, powhiri, haka weapons and much more. First published in 1964, it is still in demand as an informative and comprehensive resource. It includes the Maori words for songs and a guide to pronunciation, as well as to concert presentation. The many drawings in the book illustrate the actions. This new edition has a revised introduction and clear layout.

Dop 2002, Uk softcover 145pp Over 145 tips, tricks and moves and ideas for hundreds more. Cross referenced with over 500 clear and detiled illustrations.