Maori Treasures of New Zealand: Ko Tawa

Maori Treasures of New Zealand tells the fascinating stories behind some of our most significant Maori treasures. All are from the collection of Captain Gilbert Mair, or Ko Tawa as he became known among Maori. A gifted linguist, warrior and diplomat Mair engaged with Maori in an unprecedented manner: one generally built on mutual respect rather than exploitation. Over the years Mair built up a huge collection of prestigious weapons, carvings and weavings and, more importantly, he collected the stories of the tribes and people associated with each of the taonga. This book brings these stories to life and carries them into the present with interviews and photographs of the descendants of those who both created and gifted these special treasures to Gilbert Mair. Everyone knows the legend of Tutanekai and Hinemoa, and how Hinemoa swam the waters of Rotorua following the sound of Tutanekai's flute. This flute, Murirangaranga, is in Mair's collection and is made from the right arm of a powerful tohunga (after whom the flute is named) who was killed by Whakaue, Tutanekai's father.There is also a whale bone tomahawk belonging to Peka Makarini (Baker McLean) - Te Kooti's bugler - that was retrieved from his corpse in 1870. It is said that Peka Makarini, along with two others, split the skulls of over 40 men and women, who had been taken prisoner during a raid on Mohaka, with this patiti. These and 26 other stories are presented in Maori Treasures of New Zealand; stories that bring our history to life. There are also essays by leading scholars on Gilbert Mair and his significance to Maori and Pakeha New Zealanders.