Te Hei Tiki
Te Hei Tiki: An Enduring Treasure in a Cultural Continuum
Blurb:
Of all Māori personal adornments, the human figure pendants known as hei tiki are the most famous, highly prized and culturally iconic. This book celebrates the long history of hei tiki and the enduring cultural potency of these taonga. Te Hei Tiki showcases stunning photographs of a large selection of hei tiki, most from the taonga Māori collections of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and provides fascinating details of the history and culture behind them.
Mini Review
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Austin has produced a fine contribution to Maori anthropology with this book. Apart from being beautifully illustrated it is a tour de force on the pounamu varieties used, the shapes and details of tiki, their modern and ancient manufacture and the fullest coverage of what is known of their origins, meaning and function, not excluding their modern function as well. While there is a concentration on the Te Papa collection other significant tiki are brought in as needed. Strongly recommended.
