Please note this Reading Group has been moved to Wednesday 24 September 2025
Rākau: The Ancient Forests of Aotearoa by Ned Barrau. We will be joined by two Te Papa Curators for Q&A – Leon Perrie (Botany) and Isaac Te Awa (Matauranga Maori). A beautiful book for young readers to discover what makes our rākau so special and worthy of our care – bring along the children in your life for this special school holidays edition of the Reading Group.
This beautifully illustrated and handsomely packaged guide to the evolution, habitats and variety of the rākau (trees) and ngahere (forests) of Aotearoa for young readers is written and illustrated in award-winning Ned Barraud’s hallmark accessible, informative and captivating style.
Featuring gatefolds and framed throughout by core mātauranga Māori and the expertise of curators at Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, Rākau takes young readers from pre-history to the present day. It introduces key species and highlights the significance and use of different native trees and the impact of humans on their vitality.
Copies of the books will be for sale at the Reading Group, with a generous 30% discount available on the day.
Free entry. Koha will be collected at the meeting. All proceeds go towards the purchase of acid free envelopes for document storage.
Please register for this group by booking your free ticket. We will meet by the blue couches by the display of the Treaty of Waitangi on level 4 at 1.50 pm.