Landmark book chronicles the rich history of Māori art

Written by Professor Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) and Associate Professor Ngarino Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou), Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art, dives deep into the history and contemporary forms of Māori art.

The comprehensive book, over 12 years in the making, spans 600 pages and includes more than 500 images. It is a visual and written account of Māori art from the time of our tūpuna (ancestors) to the present day.

An early contributor to the book was co-author Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (Ngāpuhi), the former Head of Elam School of Fine Arts, who, before his passing in 2014, lent his expertise and passion to the project.

“We all had a very ambitious vision for the book. Jonathan had very strong feelings about situating Māori art within the great art traditions of the world, and Māori art history within the great art histories of the world. We all agreed and felt that a project like this would be a good contribution to achieving that,” says Brown.

She describes Toi Te Mana as a significant chance to share three lifetimes of Māori art research, curation, and teaching with Aotearoa and the world.

“It’s the largest book AUP has published, and together, we’ve created a comprehensive work that celebrates both famous and lesser-known Māori artists, as well as significant works across all visual art forms, from the arrival of Polynesians to today.”

The book is an immersive voyage that invites readers to metaphorically board a waka and journey through the multifaceted expressions of Māori art.

It showcases an extensive range of artistic practices: raranga (plaiting), whatu (weaving), moko (tattooing), whakairo (carving), rākai (jewellery), kākahu (clothing, textiles), whare (architecture), toi whenua (rock art), and media such as painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics and digital art.

“We're all trained as art historians, and art history is more than writing a history of art. It is specific types of methodologies that we wanted to foreground, but within a framework of Te Ao Māori,” says Ellis.

This breadth of coverage reveals the innovation and adaptability of Māori art across time and space, from Pacific voyagers’ arrival 800 years ago to the global platforms of today, such as the Venice Biennale.

The book’s chapters offer wide-ranging insights into the evolution of Māori art, supplemented with breakout sections that highlight individual artists. Through these narratives, Toi Te Mana becomes a waka eke noa – a vessel for all to connect audiences with te ao Māori and its artistic heritage.

“Toi Te Mana gives a visible manifestation of those dreams and aspirations for our tamariki and our mokopuna,” says Ellis.

Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art will have an official launch on 18 November at Waipapa Marae.