This lavishly illustrated history of the Te Tai Rawhiti area is the most complete and detailed record of former and existing meeting-houses of Ngati Porou, which covers the region from the north of Gisborne to the East Cape. It is the result of over 30 years research by scholar David Simmons and goes beyond existing studies of ceremonial house exteriors to investigate those with little, if any, decorative features as well as those with completely carved interiors. More than 300 black and white photos of carvings held in local and international museums and private collections are examined, uncovering the rich history of master carvers, carving practices, and the communities that called these places home.