Database of the Week - Te Ara
Provided by the National Library of New Zealand, this is an excellent, authoritative resource for people who want information on New Zealand.
‘Te ara’ in te reo Māori means ‘the pathway’ and Te Ara offers many pathways to understanding New Zealand. It is a comprehensive guide to the country’s peoples, natural environment, history, culture, economy, institutions and society.
Search or browse for the information you need in either English or te reo Māori. The database also searches A H. McLintock’s An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, last printed in 1966, and the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.
The 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand was New Zealand’s last official encyclopaedia. It is published in full on Te Ara, with all the original drawings, maps and photographs.
The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography includes the definitive texts of all the biographies previously published in print, and additional biographies which are available only online. It also includes te reo Māori versions of all the biographies relating to Māori subjects. New biographies are added each year.
Topics of interest include articles on Iwi, Te kawa o te marae (Marae protocol) native birds & bats, te reo Māori, and Rākau Māori (Māori weapons and their uses).