20/11/2025
We are delighted to share that 𝑻𝒐𝒊 𝑻𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂: 𝑨𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒂̄𝒐𝒓𝒊 𝑨𝒓𝒕, from art historians Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) and Ngarino Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou), together with the late Jonathan Mane Wheoki (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī), has been named the winner of Best Book at the 2025 Apollo Awards.
'Oceanic art has inspired a vast literature. Since the early 20th century, hundreds of catalogues and monographs have highlighted the collections of museums, explored genres and traditions and, more recently, celebrated contemporary practice,' say the judges. 'The achievement of Toi Te Mana (which roughly translates as ‘arts of power’) is of another order altogether. Its subtitle points to its distinctiveness. This is both a work grounded in and animated by Māori concepts – of time, place, people and valuables – and the outcome of sophisticated art-historical research . . .'
We are so proud to have helped bring this book and the formidable scholarship of Deidre, Ngarino and Jonathan to fruition and now to the world stage. To read more about the shortlisted books and the judges' notes, head to the Apollo magazine website.
