Toi Te Mana
An Indigenous History of Māori Art
Toi Te Mana is a definitive survey of Māori art written by three Māori scholars and artists—Deidre Brown, Ngarino Ellis, and Jonathan Mane-Wheoki.
The assumption of art history—that an artwork is more than a beautiful object; that, in fact, art reveals historical truths and cultural beliefs—is brought to fruition in this study of New Zealand’s native Māori inhabitants. Māori art reflects a belief in the cyclical, spiraling nature of time and a rich tradition of stories about the inception of the universe (when a child separated Father Sky and Mother Earth), and it is a means of communicating across generations.
Here, the breadth of Māori artistic practices, from shipbuilding to urban graffiti, is placed within a continuum of Māori heritage. A traditional cloak can embody a tribe’s whakapapa—its inheritances and genealogies—within the pattern of the weave and the materials used. Large, gorgeous images capture centuries-old objects, abstract modern installations, and everything in between, tying visual detail to cultural significance with textual analysis. This is a passionate work of scholarship that will capture the minds of students and practitioners of Indigenous art.
Reviewed by
Willem Marx
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
