Moko


Maori tattooing in the 20th century

By Michael King with photographs by Marti Friedlander

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Moko is written by Michael King, one of New Zealand’s most celebrated historians, and photographed by Marti Friedlander, one of the country’s most eminent photographers.

One of New Zealand’s iconic books, originally published in 1972, it was a milestone in New Zealand publishing. Maori subject matter was not thought to be of interest to the New Zealand public at that time, and the author and photographer were relative unknowns – Moko was their first book.

To research this book, King and Friedlander travelled thousands of kilometres through the hinterland of New Zealand to find and speak with those who were tattooed, or with people who had first-hand knowledge of the custom. It is also the story of the last generation of Maori women who wore the traditional moko. Marti Friedlander's photographs illustrate with skill and compassion the moko itself, the women who wore it and the environments in which they lived.

270 x 220 mm, 120 pages, tritone/spot varnish, over 50 photographs, paperback with flaps

978-1-86953-907-8

 

Michael King with photographs by Marti Friedlander

Michael King, one of New Zealand’s leading historians, was interested in the history and cultures of both Maori and Pakeha New Zealanders, and over a literary career of more than thirty years he wrote many ground-breaking books. Moko, originally published in 1972 was his first. Other important titles included biographies of Dame Whina Cooper, Princess Te Puea Heringa, and Frank Sargeson. His final book, The Penguin History of New Zealand (2003) is still a best-seller. Appointed to a senior research fellowship at the University of Waikato in 2002 he was writing a history of the university at the time of his death in 2004.

Marti Friedlander, one of this country’s most acclaimed photographers, has been recording cultural change in New Zealand for over fifty years. She came to New Zealand from London in 1958 and has worked as a freelance photographer since 1964. Her highly regarded work has been widely published both here and overseas.