Authoritative companion to Māori weaving returns in smart new edition

Tāniko weaving is one of the supreme expressions of Māori art. 

Weaving and dyeing the fibres of native flax creates elaborate patterns that are used to adorn clothing, with distinctive styles that have evolved in different parts of the country over centuries of creativity.

Te Whatu Tāniko presents the history and social context for weaving, as well as clear, practical guidelines for making tāniko. 

The book’s many clear and concise graphs and drawings can guide beginners or practising weavers to create a range of beautiful patterns. 

In print in various forms since 1952, Te Whatu Tāniko is now in a redesigned edition with a new preface by Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith of the University of Waikato, the daughter of the author. 

She writes: 'Tāniko work has its own beauty when woven with pride and exhibiting masterly control of the artform. It is as relevant now as it was when this book was first published.’ 

Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith

Sir Hirini sees this as signalling of passing the mantle of this artform, in decline when he first wrote the book, back to the female practitioners who are helping it to thrive today.

This new book will be welcomed by all who practise and appreciate this distinctive artform.

The author

Sir Hirini Moko Mead (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tūhourangi)is a pre-eminent Māori writer, commentator and scholar. In the course of a distinguished academic career he authored numerous books on Māori art (including Te Toi Whakairo: The Art of Maori Carving, with Oratia Books) and developed the first Department of Māori Studies in the country at Victoria University. He was knighted in 2009 for services to Māori and education. He lives in Wellington.

Sir Hirini (Sidney) Moko Mead

Publication: 15 August 2019  |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-61-2 |  RRP $45.00

Paperback, 250 x 185 mm, 136 pages b&w

Supporting accessible publishing for the print disabled

Oratia Media has signed up to the Charter for Accessible Publishing, promoted by the Accessible Books Consortium. 

This international consortium promotes the production of e-books and other digital publications in accessible formats such as braille, audio or large print for people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled. 

Signatories to the charter implement steps towards making accessible publishing part of their working systems, and Oratia is underway with developing and implementing its accessibility policy.

The Accessible Books Consortium is a public-private partnership led by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It includes organisations that represent people with print disabilities such as the World Blind Union (WBU); libraries for the blind; standards bodies; authors, publishers and collective management organization.

Its goal is to increase the number of books worldwide in accessible formats - such as braille, audio, e-text, large print – and to make them available to people who are blind, have low vision or are otherwise print disabled.

At Oratia we are starting process change to ensure that our book files will be fully accessible for conversion by registered organisations working for the print disabled, moving into the EPUB3 work environment. 

More information on the consortium is available here.