In Māori art and Design, Julie Paama-Pengelly traces the evolution of art and design in historic Māori culture and brings that art to life, focusing on four major disciplines:

Weaving and fibre arts: includes tukutuku, kitemaking, basketry, netting and clothing

Painting and pigmentation: includes rock drawing and painting wooden objects

Sculpture and carving: includes stone, bone, wood carving and patterning

Architecture and structural arts: includes villages, storage and meeting houses, burial structures and bone containers.

Chapters review the various art forms within each discipline and identify the source elements. Illustrated tables outline development periods, design conventions, and common figurative elements and motifs that distinguish Māori art and design.