Young New Zealand students are often given the opportunity to carve bone as part of the curriculum and this book will be an inspiration to both them and their teachers.

The book backgrounds the ancient art of Maori bone carving and contains photographs of Brian Fintoff’s personal work, as well Maori taonga or treasures.

Kura Koiwi is set out in six chapters that deal with concepts of design; carvings relating to the realms of Tane, Tangaroa, Taonga Puroro or musical treasures; carvings from mythology, and international bone carving traditions. Great effort has been given to providing an overview of the art in a clear and very readable form. As Flintoff explains, ‘The philosophy of a culture is expressed in mythology and this is represented in visual form through its art’.

Flintoff’s carvings are acknowledged by Maori as taonga and this interesting and beautifully presented book certainly reflects the effort and care he puts into his carvings.

review by Barbara