Maori: Art and Culture

Maori: Art and Culture by Starzecka, Doro. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781878529183.

Fully illustrated with the collection of the British Museum, the landmark publication seeks to introduce Maori art and culture to a general audience and to explore themes which are at the forefront of Maori studies. The authors, the majority of them living and working in New Zealand, offer a vivid portrait of the art and culture of Maori people both past and present. As well as examining the archaeology and early history of the Maori people, the books discusses the evidence for religion, ritual and social and political organization before and after the arrival of the Europeans. The development of a distinctively Maori art is examined in detail as is the impact of external influences. The techniques and materials of fiber art-clothing, basketry, and nets-are surveyed, with special attention to developments brought about by social, economic and ecological changes in New Zealand from the earliest settlements to modern times. Modern perspectives on Maori traditions and culture, and on what it means to be Maori today, are provided by scholars Ngahuia Te Awekotuku and Arapata Hakiwai. The final chapter offers a history of the splendid Maori artifacts in the British Museum.