Moko Kauae – Gifted Treasures of the Past for the Future is a book that showcases stunning images of wahine with moko kauae and shares their stories.

Author Benita Tahuri says moko kauae is the physical manifestation of a wairua journey and a taonga tuku iho – a gift to be handed down.

“The pukapuka is a visual sharing of how the wairua of moko kauae continues to be a living and vibrant part of our lives says Benita, the Subject Matter Expert (SME) Training and Development kaimahi based at Mangakōtukutuku.

“I also wanted to leave the legacy of moko kauae for my mokopuna."

Moko Kauae is a platform to share messages of understanding and empowerment and celebrate as well a wider family of wāhine across the motu who embrace, celebrate and wear moko kauae.

Benita, her two daughters, mother and sister feature in the book along with eight other wahine she shares personal relationships with and connected to the wānanga.

She hopes Moko Kauae inspires others to share their own whānau stories of wāhine from the past and present, who have moko kauae.

Benita acknowledged Moko Kauae photographer Jos Wheeler at the recently held book launch for his great work and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for publishing the book. Moko Kauae is a wānanga research resource and not for sale.

Limited copies are available at Mangakōtukutuku