Taonga Puoro

Taonga Puoro: Singing Treasures is the first book to be published that comprehensively covers the world of Māori musical instruments, a fascinating and little-known area of traditional Māori culture.

Written by master carver and Māori instrument-maker Brian Flintoff, Taonga Puoro includes a background to the tunes played on these instruments and the families of natural sounds with which they are associated. There are sections covering the various types of instruments, such as flutes, gourds, wood and shell trumpets, and bullroarers. What really breathes life into this book is the way that the technical information about each instrument is interwoven with the mythological and cultural context to which it belongs.

In addition, instructions are given for making and playing these singing treasures, as well as an explanation to help understand Māori art forms. Taonga Puoro is illustrated with colour photographs of exquisite contemporary instruments as well as ancient taonga held in museums around the world.