Pūtangitangi

Taonga Puoro are the musical instruments of the Māori people of Aotearoa (New Zealand). The name Taonga Puoro means ‘singing treasures’. This name gives an insight into how highly the instruments are valued, both for the beauty of the sound, the instrument itself and the story of the taonga.

There are many different types of taonga puoro, from shell trumpets, to unique types of flutes, spun instruments and bird callers. All instruments are seen as individuals as they have their own unique voice and decoration. They are grouped into families according to how they were created in the ancestral past. These stories are shared through the sounds of the taonga and the carvings on them.

There are many different uses for taonga puoro, from open entertainment to sacred ritual use. In either context, when played, they somehow transmit an appreciation for the spiritual dimensions from which they come.