Te Tohunga
Orally Collected and Pictured by Wilhelm Dittmer
This lovely volume is a 1970 facsimile reprint of the 1907 edition, which was published by George Routledge & Sons. It is a large quarto volume with 'puffed' green cloth boards. There is gilt lettering and a gilt woodcarving motif to the spine. It is beautifully illustrated and includes 28 full-page black&white illustrations. There is a matching slipcase.
You can find the legends of Hupene, Matapo, Tane, Maui, Hinemoa and many others along with the creation of Hawaiki, the creation of the stars and the creation of nature.
"Far up in the misty mountains dwell the Patu-paiarehe, the fairies of Maori Land. They are seldom seen; and, indeed, most mortals who have no gift of imagination and no mana-tapu cannot expect to behold the good people; and many who know no better deny their existence."
