"Among all the cultures of the Pacific region, that of the Maori stands out in its rich repertoire of highly-refined and complex arts. Historically, art has pervaded the whole Maori way of life, and in this century there has been a conscious effort to preserve - or revive - the traditional skills of weaving and fibre arts, painting, latticework, carving, tattoo, chant and oratory, as well as Maori language and customs. The spiritual dimension of Maori arts is strongly felt: the taonga, or art treasures, of the Maori are not only objects of beauty but of great spiritual and ancestral power. " "The essays discuss in detail wood-carving, cloak-making and other fibre arts, tattoo, jewellery, musical instruments and weapons. A final chapter offers a history of the significant Maori collection in the British Museum. " "Alongside the art, the history and culture of the Maori are also discussed, from the arrival of the first Polynesian settlers to the coming of the Europeans in the late eighteenth century, and the subsequent struggles and achievements of the Maori people. The religion, ritual and social and political organisation of the Maori tribes before and after European contact are discussed, and Maori scholars offer their own perspective on their history, and on what it means to be a Maori in twentieth century New Zealand. "--BOOK JACKET.