The David Simmons Archive
Rawiri Te Puru Terehou
Ethnologist · Scholar of Māori Culture · Museum Curator · 1930–2015
with Henry Devenish Skinner · Otago Museum Trust Board
A scholarly study of the iconic Māori hei-tiki pendant — its forms, iconography, and cultural significance. Includes 40 black-and-white photographs and colour illustrations.
A Study of the Discovery and Origin Traditions of the Maori
A.H. and A.W. Reed, Wellington · 504 pp
Simmons' most influential work. A 504-page systematic dismantling of Percy Smith's 'Great Fleet' hypothesis — the idea that seven canoes departed Tahiti simultaneously in 1350 CE. Drawing on his 1963 MA thesis, Simmons showed this narrative had no basis in authentic Māori tradition and was largely a 19th-century invention.
with Brian Brake (photos), James McNeish (conversations) · Harry N. Abrams / Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council of NZ
A richly illustrated survey of Pacific art featuring 174 illustrations, 84 in colour. Combines Simmons' scholarly text with Brian Brake's photography and James McNeish's conversations.
Auckland Institute and Museum (Bulletin) · 421 pp
A comprehensive 421-page catalogue documenting Māori artefacts held in Canadian and American museum collections — an invaluable reference for scholars and repatriation efforts.
Te Hokinga Mai (The Coming Home)
Co-curated alongside Douglas Newton (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Hirini Moko Mead, this landmark international exhibition brought Māori taonga to audiences across the United States before returning home to New Zealand in 1987. It marked a turning point in the global recognition of Māori art and culture.
Reed / Auckland War Memorial Museum
The first comprehensive study of Māori moko — examining historical development, tribal variations, design principles, and social significance. Draws on records from Cook, de Surville, Earle, Angas, Robley, Lindauer, and Goldie. Regarded as outstanding scholarship in the field.
E.J. Brill, Leiden
Part of the international Iconography of Religions series (Section II, Polynesia). A scholarly analysis of visual symbolism within Māori religious traditions.
Bush Press
Documents Māori traditions, place names, and history of the Auckland isthmus — a foundational resource for understanding the deep Māori heritage of the region.
with Ko Te Riria · Bush Press, Auckland
Explores moko whakairo (carved skin designs) with colour and black-and-white illustrations, documenting tribal traditions and the social meaning of Māori tattooing.
The United Tribes of New Zealand and the Crown of England
Puriri Press
An examination of the relationship between the United Tribes of New Zealand and the British Crown, drawing on Simmons' deep knowledge of Māori history and political traditions.
Oxford University Press · 188 pp
The first work to systematically analyse Māori carving styles by tribal area. Discusses mythological context, symbolism, and the distinctive carving traditions of each tribe, with colour and black-and-white illustrations.
A Māori Mirror of the Universe
Examines the pare — the carved threshold above the doorway of the meeting house — as both an ancestor figure and a representation of tapu, connecting the worlds inside and outside.
Including the Māori Place Names of Auckland
Bush Press Communications Ltd
An expanded edition of Māori Auckland incorporating George Graham's manuscript materials from the Auckland Museum library. Extends coverage to Manukau, Waikato, Kaipara, Mahurangi coasts, and the Hauraki Gulf islands.
No works match.