Collection of Mangaia books

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The pre-Christian history of Mangaia -- the southernmost of the Cook Islands -- was documented by Sir Peter Buck (Te Rangi Hiroa) in Mangaian Society, in 1934. Missing from the book was the final chapter, which documented changes in Mangaian society following the establishment of a London Missionary Society mission in 1824. That final chapter is published here for the first time. Buck describes changes to the social, economic, religious and political life of the island resulting from the mission. As spiritual power passed from the Mangaian gods to Jehovah, the marae were deserted, the images of the gods destroyed or given up, history and genealogy were modified in Biblical terms, restrictions placed on the sexual lives of young people and an oppressive system of mission laws -- the Blue Laws -- introduced to police behaviours. Dance, drama, music and traditional sports were outlawed or abandoned. But, as Buck points out, none of this was achieved without Mangaian participation, if only as accommodation, adaptation or resistance to change. Mangaia and the Mission provides new insights into the history of relations between the mission and the people of Mangaia, and provides further evidence to question the view that Pacific cultures succumbed passively to mission domination.

Patterns of the Past traces the history and practice of tattooing through the ancient oral traditions of the Cook Island people, as well as from reports of early Western visitors and rich archival material. The book looks at the current practices of contemporary Cook Island tattooists, what the tattoos mean and what techniques and instruments are traditionally used. More than 250 colour and black and white images included.

The book "Polynesian Tattoo Designs - Ocean Legacy" is a collection of 92 ocean themed Polynesian style tattoos with brief description of the meanings for each design along with their outlines, intended mainly for tattoo artists.

Add War and Succession in Mangaia is a political history of an island in the southern Cook Islands, from its social foundations until the advent of Christianity in the 1820s, as described by the 19th century tribal historian Mamae. Mangaian society was dominated by powerful warrior chiefs who warred with one another for political, social and economic dominance over the island's productive lands and its people. The successful contestant became the holder of the mangaia title and reigned supreme until challenged by another warrior chief who believed he had sufficient supporters to bring about a regime change. The stories of these chiefly battles for supreme power form the basis of this work.