Whakairo

[1] Timber was formed into houses, fencepoles, pouwhenua, containers, taiaha, tool handles and waka (canoe).

[2] After European contact, many traditionally carved items were no longer widely produced in favour of using Western counterparts, such as waka huia treasure containers being replaced with lockable seaman's chests by the 1840s.

[4][2] Most traditions that survived this period into the late 1800s were centred around communal whakairo schools, mostly located around Rotorua, Te Urewera, the Whanganui River and the East Coast.

[2] The Māori Arts and Crafts Institute at Whakarewarewa in Rotorua, opened by Sir Āpirana Ngata in 1926, is a stronghold of traditional carving skills.

[8] Following the introduction of metal tools there was a substantial increase in decorative ornamentation, particularly in wood and bone carving.