Ockham NZ Book Awards shortlisted Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art is the landmark work by Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) and Ngarino Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) along with the late art historian Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (1943–2014; Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī).

Presenting a history of Māori art through an indigenous lens, it combines Kaupapa Māori with art history methodologies to rebalance a traditionally Eurocentric canon. The result is 600 pages spanning over 800 years of art practice, including whatu (weaving), moko (tattoo), whakairo (carving), whare (architecture), painting, photography and sculpture.

They join Nigel Borell (Pirirākau, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whakatōhea) for a richly illustrated conversation, using ten taonga carefully selected from the book to guide audiences through this expansive history of Māori art’s rich and varied practices.