Skip to content

By Emma Philpott, Content and Resource Adviser, National Services Te Paerangi, Te Papa

The percussive instrument, poi, is a light ball attached to a string which is swung or twirled rhythmically to sung accompaniment. In many of the collected examples, the ball is made of raupō leaves, however a diverse range of materials and techniques are used to create poi.

Examples of poi from collections in Aotearoa