Toi tu te kupu, toi tu te mana, toi tu te whenua
Hold fast to the language, hold fast to the spirit, hold fast to the land.
This Maori proverb reveals a lot about the native people of New Zealand. Theirs is a rich and deep culture, their identity rooted in the land and their ancestry, and these vital links shape the people’s identity and their art. From the formal rituals of the Marae, or meeting place, to the very carvings that adorn it, the Maori people’s foundation in their language, spirit …

The famous Maori Pukaki carving represents the remarkable, 18th century Maori warrior Pukaki, renowned chief (rangirata) of the Ngati Whakaue (sub)tribe.
In 1877 the wooden carving of the revered Maori warrior chief suddenly disappeared. It reappeared after more than hundred years during the preparations for the worldwide Te Maori exhibition.
It’s one of New Zealand’s most well known carvings and is currently exhibited in the entrance of the Rotorua District Council after this unique part of Maori heritage was given back by the Auckland Museum.
The almost 2 meters tall carving …

Literally hei matau means ‘fish hook pendant’. Hei is Maori for ‘to wear around the neck’ and matau means ‘fish hook’ or ‘hook’. Back in the days when the Maori tribes were highly dependent on fishing for their food gathering a high quality matau was a priceless possession. This instigated the practice of wearing their best hooks on cords as necklaces.
The practice of wearing fish hooks as necklaces initially had a practical motive. Simply because the hook was lost less easily. Gradually the hei matau became a highly …