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Te Ao Hou, December 1968, Page 57

are provided in an appendix together with beautifully drawn diagrams of each stage in the weaving process. The interest and value of the book, however, lie beyond these, its immediate practicalities. In fact this aspect is secondary to its main concern, which is to show taniko as an art form in relation to its social and historical background. This is the second reason for welcoming the book. Taniko has been the subject of several studies, but it has never before been examined in relation to its social and cultural context. The introductory chapter describes Maori costume in general. This is followed by a description of the traditional taniko technique, the materials used, and their detailed preparation. An analysis of the technique itself is shown as a local development from the ‘single pair twine’ common to other areas of Polynesia. The next chapter is devoted to the historical development of the art and discusses the changing character of taniko through three time periods—the Classical, Transitional and Modern. Here Dr Mead demonstrates a clearly identifiable sequence of change, which incidentally is concomitant with changes in the social organisation of the people. New motifs and particularly, new materials are combined with the traditional, becoming only minor additions at first, but eventually displacing the traditional materials and techniques altogether. Traditional patterns or arrangements of the same appear to be the only elements to resist change. This is evident in the fact that today, modern patterns which may incorporate new motifs, are still based upon the classical inventory of motifs. The following chapter is a provocative discussion of style and is further highlighted by the presentation for the first time of the little known pre-classical style of taniko. Contrary to assumptions which have been made concerning its simplicity, it is here

shown to be a highly complex and sophisticated art form. As such it deserves the attention of all who are interested in art and material culture. The next chapter classifies all known patterns on the basis of dominant motifs and is an extension of Buck's earlier classification, which used internal cultural information as the basic criteria. The result is a much more meaningful interpretation of taniko motifs. Throughout, the book is well illustrated with photographs and diagrams that are essential to a study of this kind. A very large tribute must be paid to the excellence of both, in terms of clarity and attention to detail. Finally the result of this book is a picture of taniko, not only as a vital and dynamic art form, but as a medium for expressing symbolically the ideas and beliefs of the people. Dr Mead is to be congratulated for his lucid and scholarly discussion, and for his contribution to that school of thought which maintains that, irrespective of the sundry specifics of its relations, art is always an integral part of culture—never a thing apart.