Poia Mai Taku Poi - A History of Poi

This title is printed to order. This book may have been self-published. If so, we cannot guarantee the quality of the content. In the main most books will have gone through the editing process however some may not. We therefore suggest that you be aware of this before ordering this book. If in doubt check either the author or publisher’s details as we are unable to accept any returns unless they are faulty. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Mori performing arts is a dynamic part of the Mori culture which has effectively ensured the inter-generational transmission of Mori knowledge for thousands of years. Performing arts was crucial amongst a group of people with no written form of their language. Traditionally, Mori performing arts was not a performance but a ritual. It was an integral part of everyday life and was used in all aspects of traditional Mori society. Upon European arrival to New Zealand Mori social life and customs were observed and documented in a written form. Mori social life and material culture changed remarkably and these early written sources provide a glimpse of how traditional Mori society operated. The aim of this research is to investigate early sources on Mori performing arts in order to construct a written history of poi - one of the least researched but most widely practiced areas of Mori performing arts. It is hoped that this study on poi will encourage others to engage in historical research and unearth other secrets of Mori performing arts that have been hidden amongst the pages of early writings.