We’re excited to be giving away two copies of South Island Māori Rock Art by Philippa F Graham to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
About South Island Māori Rock Art
The first major book on Māori rock art published since 1971, which provides the most comprehensive survey of Māori rock art ever published
South Island Māori rock drawings, dating back to early Māori occupation, were examined as scientific curiosities by many early European explorers and, later, museum curators, including Julius von Haast, Alexander Hamilton, Robert Speight, W.H. Skinner and H.D. Skinner.
Early on there was the inevitable debate in European circles about the artistic merits of the rock drawings, but their value to both local and international collectors is indicated by the fact that many artworks were vandalised – in 1916, motifs were first cut out of major sites by one Mr Elmore, a visiting American, encouraged by a few acquisitive museum curators.
South Island Māori Rock Art: European interest from the 19th century to the present is the culmination of many years of exploring and checking the sites by local farmer Philippa Graham, encouraged by landowners, field staff from the Department of Lands and Survey and the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
Examination of the Historic Places Trust records revealed numerous past reports about the drawings but little effective protection until recent years, and little has been written about the history of these fascinating sites since Michael Trotter and Beverley McCulloch’s popular 1971 publication, Prehistoric Rock Art of New Zealand.
In South Island Māori Rock Art, Graham calls on her in-depth research at all of the major New Zealand institutions, in addition to the Thomas Burke Museum, Seattle. She has uncovered a plethora of fresh material about the sites, the landowners, the governments of the times, archaeologists’ contributions, museums’ involvement, library records and attitudes towards local Māori in the early days. Accompanied by more than 350 illustrations and maps, an index and a Māori glossary, South Island Māori Rock Art concludes with a chapter focusing on New Zealand artists who have been inspired by the rock drawings.
About the Author
Philippa Flower Graham is a Christchurch-born writer who has lived all her married life in South Canterbury, near Māori rock art sites. After graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in history and geography, she served for over two decades on the South Canterbury Committee of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, including many years as chairperson. Her professional career as a contract librarian has included time with National Archives, Royal Police College, Te Waka Toi Māori, now a branch of Ministry of Heritage and Culture, Canterbury Public Library and Open Polytechnic Lower Hutt. In addition to contributing to the Timaru Herald and The School Journal, she has written two entries in the New Zealand Dictionary of Biography. In 2002, she completed the Fiction Writing Course tutored by Owen Marshall at Aoraki Polytechnic.
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Terms and conditions
You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
The competition closes on 16th September 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 17th September 2026.
It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
One entry per household.
The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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