"Here, the breadth of Maori artistic practices, from shipbuilding to urban graffiti, is placed within a continuum of Maori 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."
"A new landmark book celebrating Maori art has clocked up a couple of impressive firsts: not only is it the most comprehensive account of creative work by Indigenous New Zealanders ever published, it is also the first wide-ranging art history written entirely by Maori scholars. . . . The book traverses Maori creativity across time and locations - from ancient ocean-voyaging waka (canoe) to intricately carved treasure boxes held in international museums, painting and street art, digital film, protest flags and a Venice Biennale award-winning installation. The book also highlights forgotten artists and overlooked mediums such as Maori architecture."
"This groundbreaking survey has been a decade in the making and is informed by the belief of the authors that 'a greater understanding of Maori art--by Maori and non-Maori--is essential for the survival of Maori culture.'"
"This volume covers 800 years of Maori art, exploring a range of art practices including raranga (plaiting), whatu (weaving), moko (tattooing), and whakairo (carving). The volume, written by a trio of Maori art historians, took 12 years to complete and focuses on 'exploring the idea of Indigenous art histories that value Indigenous voices, perspective and objectives, making art history more relevant and less Eurocentric,' the authors say."
"Extremely beautiful . . . A benchmark book that documents stories of resilience and endurance. . . . This book demonstrates that Maori art is about excellence."
"Groundbreaking, monumental in scale, this is the most comprehensive survey of mahi toi ever created, from carving to textiles and digital art, written by experts in the field."
"Very soon this book will become a taonga in its own right."
"Toi Te Mana is a massive tome and an even greater achievement."
"What a beautiful monster of a book. Not solely through its massive weight and plenitude of pages, but more significantly--indeed far more significantly--because of its inherent kaupapa."
"A 600-page new book that took 12 years to create is set to reframe the history of Maori art. . . . Toi Te Mana is a whopper of a book, but it's also beautiful and very readable. . . . In many cases the research is only just starting, with Toi Te Mana representing an important beginning to a new Aotearoa art history."
"The recently published history of Maori art Toi Te Mana by Deidre Brown and Ngarino Ellis with Jonathon Mane-Wheoki, is a magnificent volume with intense scholarship and beautiful presentation 'written by, for, and about Maori'."
"'One has to look back to look forward,' expert weaver Diggeress Te Kanawa once remarked. The massive new book Toi Te Mana does exactly this, exploring the deep history of Maori art, from its ancestral origins through to its contemporary expression, to provide context and inspiration for today's Indigenous artists. . . . This book is by no means small, but it is certainly significant. A joy to read, and a valuable resource"
"Toi te Mana is a bold and ambitious endeavour by our most experienced Maori art historians responding to a desperate need in New Zealand art education. A historical atlas encompassing the spectrum of Maori creativity, this work will certainly become a standard text of Maori art history and contribute to the global discourse on indigenous art histories in which Maori already hold a strong and distinctive position."
"This book is a comprehensive analysis that sets out to recalibrate the history of Maori art by rebalancing the gaps and Eurocentric focus of earlier writing. The format, with key chapters (kete) interspersed with breakout boxes focusing on specific artists and events, drives the kaupapa of the book forward, reinforcing a broadly chronological framework that nevertheless emphasises non-linearity, dynamism and change. The deployment of ancestral stories, chants and whakatauki to introduce chapters and sections draws together multiple strands to create a richly layered and relational landscape (whakapapa) for Maori arts. Ka mau te wehi! An outstanding contribution to Maori culture, arts and creativity - it is a great read."
"Toi Te Mana is a historic and groundbreaking text. It is an invaluable tool for Indigenous arts globally and represents 'best practice' in the field. The research and findings will be central to those of my generation and our students as we craft an Indigenous art history."
"This book provides an Indigenous account of Maori art, authored by Maori art historians, employing art historical methods, while highlighting its status as one of the foremost global art traditions. The authors hold considerable esteem in our field, which is reflected in the originality and irrefutable high level of scholarship of their work. They have integrated ancestral history and worldwide collections into a unified and meticulously researched and referenced book. The work is admirable in every respect."
"Toi Te Mana is a cultural feat ruminating on the luxurious depth and breadth of Maori art. From waka to painting to bodies, Brown, Ellis and Mane-Wheoki expertly fill each kete with insights, histories and analysis. This is a one-in-a-generation book."
"Toi Te Mana is an outstanding publication that brings to fruition the work of two exceptional Maori scholars and their visionary collaborator, the late Maori art historian Jonathan Mane-Wheoki. The book is not only a landmark in Maori art history, it challenges us to reconceive the entire narrative of art and modernity from the perspective of Indigenous cultures worldwide."
"A big, beautiful book full of fresh ideas. Reading the text is like hearing the taonga speak."
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