Traditional objects of great beauty, made of wood, bone, greenstone, feathers and fibre, are collected in this sumptuous pictorial guide to Maori art. Deidre Brown has selected the finest of Brian Brake's photos, and adds interesting and informed commentary on the Maori gods and legends that inspired these works.

"A book to treasure for young and old, Robyn Kahukiwa's Nga Atua: Maori Gods takes the reader on a beautiful visual journey while imparting simple and effective explanations of the major Maori gods. Robyn introduces the pantheon of Maori gods, and explains the arena of life for which each deity is responsible. For example:Tumatauenga is the greatest warrior atua. His powers are extreme strength and courage. He fights for truth and justice. This book is a beautiful introduction to some of the unique deities that are part of Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural story, and affirms their continued relevance today."--

Meet the gods, demigods and heroes of the Maori people of Aotearoa in this breathtaking, large-scale illustrated book for children. Margaret Mahy Book of the Year 2022 Elsie Locke Award for Non-fiction 2022 Russell Clark Award for Illustration 2022 Before the beginning there was nothing. No sound, no air, no colour - nothing. TE KORE, NOTHING. No one knows how long this nothing lasted because there was no time. However, in this great nothing there was a sense of waiting. Something was about to happen. Meet the gods, demigods and heroes of the Maori world, and explore Aotearoa's exciting legends from the Creation to the Migration. Fascinating, beautiful and informative, this once-in-a-generation compendium deserves a place on every bookshelf.

The days seem to pass at a rate too fast to accomplish all his chores. Maui sets out to capture the sun, succeeds, and lengthens the hours of daylight. Suggested level: junior, primary.

‘Us Maoris used to practice slavery just like them poor Negroes had to endure in America . . .' says Beth Heke in Once Were Warriors. ‘Oh those evil colonials who destroyed Maori culture by ending slavery and cannibalism while increasing the life expectancy,' wrote one sarcastic blogger. So was Maori slavery ‘just like' the experience of Africans in the Americas and were British missionaries or colonial administrators responsible for ending the practice? What was the nature of freedom and unfreedom in Maori society and how did that intersect with the perceptions of British colonists and the anti-slavery movement? A meticulously researched book, Outcasts of the Gods? looks closely at a huge variety of evidence to answer these questions, analyzing bondage and freedom in traditional Maori society; the role of economics and mana in shaping captivity; and how the arrival of colonists and new trade opportunities transformed Maori society and the place of captives within it.

Tikanga Maori is the authoritative and accessible introduction to understanding the correct Maori ways of doing things as they were done in the past, as they are done in the present - and as they may yet be.In this revised edition, Hirini Mead has added an extensive new chapter on mana whenua, mana moana, Maori authority over land and ocean, and the different interpretations and applications of mana whenua and mana moana historically and today.Hirini Mead has also updated the section on tangihanga to include contemporary issues about cremation choices and what happens to the deceased in Maori/non-Maori partnerships where there are disputes about following tangi tikanga or Pakeha traditions.The remainder of the book explores how tikanga Maori may influence contemporary life and society, and Hirini Mead proposes guidelines to help us test appropriate responses to challenges that may yet be laid down.

Te Puna - Maori Art from Te Tai Tokerau Northland gathers writing about the art of Te Tai Tokerau - carving, painting, weaving, architecture, ceramics and digital art - by leading art historians and curator. It discusses how Maori art was collected by museums and others, and argues that Te Tai Tokerau was the cradle for contemporary Maori art. Shorter essays focus on moko (tattoo) and waka building, and highlight artists such as Ralph Hotere, Shane Cotton and Kura Te Waru Rewiri.