Give Māori-Made This Christmas

Toi Iho is encouraging New Zealanders to give gifts that carry meaning, connection, and authenticity this Christmas by choosing Māori-made art and design.

“Buying Māori-made is more than acquiring something beautiful,” says Elizabeth Ellis, Chair of the Toi Iho Charitable Trust. “It’s an act of mana motuhake, self-determination, that sustains cultural knowledge and supports artists to maintain and pass on their skills.”

From raranga (weaving) and whakairo (carving) to 3D printing and digital design, Māori artists work across both traditional and contemporary forms that connect past and future. The Toi Iho mark identifies works of authentic Māori origin and verified quality.

Toi Iho encourages shoppers who want to support Māori to:

• Learn about the artist, find out their name, iwi or hapū.

• Look for the Toi Iho mark and search #ToiIhoChristmas to find authentic Māori-made gifts.

• Buy direct from artists or trusted retailers to ensure your purchase supports Māori creators and communities. Find trusted retailers across Aotearoa at https://www.toiiho.org.nz/retailers

“Mechanisms like Toi Iho exist so our artists can sustain themselves through their creativity,” says Ellis. “This mark recognises the value of Māori art to Aotearoa and ensures buyers can trust they’re supporting authentic Māori creators. With every purchase, consumers have the power to uplift Māori voices, strengthen communities, and keep cultural knowledge alive.”

Meaningful gift ideas this Christmas

For tamariki: Books and toys that celebrate stories of place and culture, such as children’s books from Gavin Bishop (Ngāti Mahuta, Tainui, Ngāti Pukeko, Ngāti Awa), or the augmented-reality Pū Rākau Atua Blocks from Paku Products (Dr Johnson Witehira, Ngāti Hinekura, Ngāi-tū-te-auru, with James Prier).

For rangatahi: Celebrate identity and confidence with bold Māori design and small artworks. Turumeke Harrington (Kāi Tahu) creates jewellery and clothing that celebrate individuality and Māori design thinking, while River Jayden (Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa) offers contemporary streetwear with bold Māori designs.

For pākehake and kaumātua: Choose pieces that will be cherished for generations such as carved uku from Stevei Houkamau (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apānui); vibrant homewares from Lissy Robinson-Cole (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu) and Rudi Robinson-Cole (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Makirangi, Ngāti Tu, Te Arawa); and the artwork of Jimmy James Kouratoras (Tainui, Ngāti Tiipa), which captures the colour and vitality of contemporary Māori art, and Todd Couper (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine) has a range of images of his stunning whakairo (carvings) as chromolux metal prints. Jewellery is always a welcome gift including the colourful hei from Kereama Taepa (Te Arawa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Whakaue) which reinterpret traditional forms through modern technology.

For book lovers: You can’t go past the stunning Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Maori Art, by Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi) and Ngarino Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou), with Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī). This gorgeous book won the BookHub Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction at the Ockhams this year, as well as the International Apollo Award for 2025 Best Book of the Year.

About Toi Iho

Toi Iho is the registered Māori Made Mark of Authenticity and Quality. Recognised by WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organisation, Toi Iho promotes artists and retailers whose work reflects genuine cultural integrity and excellence in Māori art and design. Toi Iho received an Honourable Mention in the 2025 Jeonju International Award for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH). The Toi Iho Charitable Trust advocates for Māori artists, builds visibility for their work, and encourages the public to buy Māori-made.

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