Kia ora, come and explore the vibrant culture and rich history of Aotearoa. From pēpē to kaumatua, whanau history enthusiast to studious researcher, practitioners of traditional arts, te reo Māori and waiata, we've got you covered.
Our well-resourced reference collection is here to support study and research in the library. Our comprehensive lending collections are available for you to enjoy at home.
The standard loan period is three weeks.
Did you know Maori and Pacific DVDs are free to borrow.
Visit our City Centre Library and discover our resources about the tangata whenua of Porirua, Ngāti Toa Rangatira. Download the Ngāti Toa resources sheet (543 KB PDF).
We partner together to honour our commitment to mana whenua and the Treaty of Waitangi.
Mau Moko: A Journey Through Māori Tattoo
Taia o moko, hei hoa matenga mou … Take your moko, as a friend forever …
In the traditional Māori world, the moko, or facial and body tattoo, was integral to everyday life; nearly everyone bore some patterning on their skin. Men sported elaborate facial designs, while women’s were typically more refined, and both sexes often displayed extensive body art.
After nearly disappearing in the twentieth century, Māori skin art is now experiencing a potent resurgence, with many young, urban Māori embracing the moko as a striking display of ethnic pride and identity.
This popular and richly illustrated book, crafted by Māori scholars, is the closest there is to a comprehensive exploration of moko. Mau Moko delves into the use of moko by traditional Māori, incorporating historical materials including manuscripts and unpublished sources, and bridging the art form to the present day. It examines the cultural and spiritual themes surrounding moko and shares numerous stories, many moving and heartfelt, from both wearers and artists.
Mau Moko is further enhanced by images from early encounters, traditional Māori depictions, and newly commissioned color photography.
Tirohia, he moko! Look, and wonder, at the beauty of this art form
There's a lot of material out there, and it is easy to get overwhelmed. These resources actively teach and connect te reo Māori with everyday life.
Te Whanake is a set of print and digital resources for learning and teaching te reo Māori. It also includes Te Aka Māori Dictionary. This website provides access to the full range of free online resources for independent learning and interaction.
Kōrerorero created by Auckland University of Technology. Users work their way through Kōrerorero’s eight lessons, each based around a different activity one would find in a typical day. Each lesson contains up to 10 parts with a series of interactive exercises. It focuses on spoken reo rather than written language.
Kupu a Spark-sponsored app that uses the camera in your phone to instantly translate objects into te reo Māori.
He aha tēnei? a drag-and-drop game where matching of letters and pictures teaches pronunciation of everyday words. Aimed at children, but enjoyable for all.
Taringa: learn Te Reo and tikanga Māori in a relaxed way with weekly episodes discussing either kupu (words), iwi (tribes), stories or tikanga (customs and protocols). From Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Tōku Reo: a Māori language learning course for absolute beginners. Designed by Professor John Moorfield, and structured as a series of short videos which build on the previous lesson.
Māori TV language learning: te reo Māori learning programming broadcast by Māori Television, and available on demand, online.
Up to speed with te reo Māori: a podcast series explaining Māori language phrases and words often heard in media, public addresses and everyday conversation in Aotearoa. Delivered by Stacey Morrison.
If you have any queries about our Māori collection, please email
[email protected] or phone (04) 237 1533.
