Our legendary guide is back to help you through another silly season.

Note: When we first published this guide six years ago, it was about finding the small labels and makers out there and pointing hungry shoppers in their direction. Since then, there has been huge and exciting growth in stores both physical and online stocking Māori and Pacific goods and even putting together their own gift guides. So this time, we’ll start with all the places stocking all sorts of cool stuff, then select a few of our favourites for each category and add in some of the independent makers selling their own goods. 

Markets for all sorts

For when you’d rather browse a selection.

Moana Fresh: We could fill up this whole guide with goodies from Moana Fresh but it’s best to check them out yourself. If you’re in Auckland, a visit to the Avondale store is always with the travel.

Panikeke: A “pacific beauty story” with plenty of clothing, accessories and homewares for those on a budget. 

Hine Raumati: Based in Whangārei and with a great online store. Particularly fruitful for the arty folks in your life and the little ones.

Konei: All sorts in this Māori and Pasifika online store, including beauty, prints, stationery and games.

Lagi: Your one-stop island shop in the Hutt, filled with traditional clothing but also jewellery, handicrafts, language books and some great affordable towels.

Rise Beyond The Reef: Based in Fiji, this marketplace offers a range of local arts and crafts. A bit of an edge case as they don’t stock in New Zealand and ship from Australia so not ideal for last minute gift ideas but a really cool initiative with excellent products.

Kāinga

We know it’s summer but there are too many beautiful blankets out there. Awhi Company’s Manaaki Ngahere blanket throw is just extremely gorgeous. Just look at it. Also, a little green couch moment is incredibly on trend.

The iconic mink blankets of old have received a refresh with this Aio mink.

And of course the aspirational Noa Blankets. Not cheap but made to last a lifetime.

Tāne Ceramics crafts handmade wharenga mugs for the auntie whose cupboards can never have enough mugs. Or, consider gifting Under the Bird’s Vailima jug for that one uncle. You know the one.

Staying on the ceramics buzz, Alex Wong makes some of the most beautiful mugs and vases in Aotearoa. Some can be found at Moana Fresh but the best are rather randomly released on his Instagram stories every few months. Give a follow and keep an eye out.

Avara Moody makes beautiful ceramics, particularly unique jewellery cases and pedestal bowls. They can be found online at Avara Studios.

These salt dish sets from Rise Beyond The Reef will be the talk of your dinner party. 

Everybody and their māmā is obsessed with Moana Fresh anyway, so why not get their 2025 calendar, featuring work by 14 Māori and Pasifika artists? Alternatively, this Tuhi Stationery maramataka flip calendar will help you keep on top of the moon cycle as well as the days.

Kākahu and accessories

We love this t-shirt from Bloody Samoan.

And these vintage styled strength t-shirts from Pasifika Strength.

Isla Koko’s Laid Back tee, available in tan and light blue, sums up the summer vibes nicely. It’d probably look pretty cute paired with an “All We Need is Aroha” tote from Pono as well.

It might finally be time to convince your tinā to throw out that old beach bag she’s had since before you were born. Panikeke’s beach bags are colourful, and currently on sale.

Look, crocs are in and there’s nothing you can do about it. But there is a way you can make them cooler – by adding these te ao Māori-inspired jibbitz from Whariki, or Pacific Stylez’ range of croc charms repping Tonga, Samoa, Niue and the Cook Islands. Churr.

Taonga and jewellery

There’s so, so, so many earrings designed by Māori and Pasifika artists that you can purchase. Try these glitter pōhutukawa earrings from Taonga Puawai, these moon-shaped, shell-made earrings by Whakakai (this shell-shaped pair will make a perfect secret Santa gift at $5) or Mamanu’s perfectly dainty mini tiare hoops.

If you’re into a more wordy statement piece, these Land Back earrings from Nuku and colourful Kia Ora earrings from Fluff will do the talking for you at the dinner table. Got a friend or relative who can’t stop talking about the hīkoi? Get them these earrings.

Using weaving techniques, these Toru choker and bracelets from Ahiraranga are an understated classic.

Our Taiao do beautiful mini heart pounamu and also these fun santa sacks.

Pukapuka

Ngahuia Murphy’s Intuitive Ritual. According to staff writer Lyric Waiwiri-Smith, “Intuitive Ritual has carved out the most coveted spot a book could hope for: right next to the bed, for easy access, and to charm any visitors passing through with the presence of my big brain (though I don’t get many of those). I open it to check the maramataka, to find a karakia, to remind myself how to reconnect.”

Kataraina, Becky Manawatu’s much anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed Auē, is already one of the best-selling novels of the year. In her review for The Spinoff (warning: heavy Auē spoilers), guest writer Jenna Todd wrote that “having read both, I can’t have one without the other”.

One of the best essayists in the country, Talia Marshall, released her debut book Whaea Blue this year. A must-have for any summer road trip.

The book for your university-aged cousin who seems too cool for you but is still lovely is Poorhara by Michelle Rahurahu.

Fa’afetai Ta’asē’s poetry collection Polynation, from Māori and Pasifika-focused publisher Manu Scripts, is an anthology of poems assembled by Ta’asē’s sister Alofa Lale following his sudden death in 2022. Polynation centres on Ta’asē’s identity as a Samoan man living with cerebral palsy in Aotearoa, and this is his first published work.

Mahi toi

Invest in one of Rakai Karaitiana’s beautiful Rebel Rider prints – available in small and medium sizes through Endemic World – paying tribute to Māori in the days of early settlers, and the significance of horses in the te ao Māori world.

Suffice to say, it’s been a long ass year. This “Resting in Resistance” tapestry from Moana Fresh is an important (and beautiful) reminder of the power of rage fuelled compassion, and the fact that we’re never really alone.

Luca Walton draws inspiration for his paintings from the influential Pasifika women in his life. He sells prints of his work online as small as A4 and as big as A0.

A taonga puoro is no small gift, but could be a special item for your musically inclined loved one. Māori by Design has a beautifully carved koauau, a traditional Māori flûte. Ngāi Tahu artist Ruby Solly has smaller clay pūtangitangi for sale online. These are easy to play but unfired, so need to be treated with care.

Pēpi

You can get the newest family member a beautiful teether designed by Kerilyn Clarke and made out of non toxic food grade silicone. They can be frozen for extra relief from emerging teeth, and popped in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Awhi Company make a load of patterned blankets, but our favourite is the boldly patterned Pitau knit blanket in shades of brown which give a slightly retro vibe. 

For the babies with eczema or nappy rash, Mamaku Skin has a Baby Skin Calming Kit – a trio of nourishing products. They’re free from nasties and have 129 five star reviews. If the parents would be more inclined to use one product, Tutu Rongoā Māori have a Pēpi Pani lovingly formulated with calendula flowers, Kawakawa leaves, cold pressed sunflower oil and natural new zealand beeswax

If you’ve got a little swimmer, this patterned swimsuit from Island Pepe will protect 80% of their body from the sun and the chafing of a boogie board. You could even get them a matching bucket hat or wearable beach towel. 

These awesome Counting Blocks from Koha create

Tamariki, games and toys

Our Taiao’s pōtae for tamariki in pink, green and black are insanely cute, perfect for summer and available in sizes for kids between 0 and 12 years old. When the weather gets colder, keep them warm in Sky Pirates’ range of kids-sized hoodies.

These Marama and Tagane dolls (in large and small sizes) from Rise Beyond The Reef are handsewn by Fijian women in their remote communities. The dolls feature Fijian marama (women) and tagane (men) with beautifully crafted handbags, chamba, sulu and other island gears, and they’re rated a solid five stars across 135 reviews.

A te reo Māori spin on the Edmonds cookbook for children will a) help the tamariki keep up their reo and b) hopefully transform them into passionate bakers sourcing the family with treats for years to come. It’s a win-win.

For the young kids, Awhi Company has this cute bingo set blending te reo Māori and English, while Piri Paua has a set of Samoan and te reo Māori wooden blocks to help your kids familiarise themselves with the colours and some hand-eye coordination.

There’s also Maimoa Creative’s on-the-good word game Pakiaka, which challenges players to be the first to complete their crossword set. Suitable for tamariki and grown ups, Pakiaka will test your te reo Māori reading and writing skills, and the Maimoa Creative website will show you multiple ways to play the game.

This 1000-piece puzzle from the Auckland Museum uses Samoan artist Serene Hodgman’s woven polypropylene design ‘Aute, alofa ia te oe / Hibiscus, I love you’ as its design. If you’re a one on one kind of player, try this beautiful Māori by Design chess set.

The very popular Lalaga card game is the wholesome antidote to Cards Against Humanity, designed to connect players and foster empathy. 

Health and beauty

For the auntie who loves stretching and bending, House of Rehua has a yoga mat made from organic jute and natural tree rubber. It’s 4mm thick, anti-slip and embellished with seven kawakawa leaves.

Save your loved ones from having scaly legs with Kūmarahou Butter from Tutu Rongoā Māori. It is luxuriously smooth and easily absorbed with a fresh, floral scent thanks to a dash of Kānuka essential oil. Another option is the harakeke hand and body cream from Aotea. It’s rich and suitable for sensitive skin.

There’s always a family member who just can’t get to sleep. To help them through the tossing and turning exacerbated by summer’s heat, get them a Sweet Dreams Deluxe Pack from Kawa Cure.

What Tāne doesn’t need a pair of socks and some little treats? Poipoia Ōtautahi have gathered these with a beard oil and healing Kawakawa Balm in their Tāne Gift Pack.

Mea Fragrance makes natural perfume oils with hand-harvested Taramea. The Dark Skies scent carries notes of Ylang Ylang, clove, bergamot, apricot and sweet vanilla. Yum!

Kai

A group of women at the Omaka Marae, taught by the Aunties who were members of the Māori Women’s Welfare League, make yummy kamokamo pickle, piripiri plum chutney, kawakawa jelly and horopito garlic sauce. If you can’t decide between them all, there’s a gift set too. We also love the tukutuku tea towel.

Sweet and Co in Porirua has your sweet tooth covered and have some Christmas specials going.

Want a non-alcoholic drink that feels a little bit fancy? Try Wai Māhuka, a honey-infused sparkling water made right here in NZ.

Named for Titahi Bay, the Titahi online store sells healthy snacks (think seeds, granola and crackers) and locally baked bread. 

If you’d rather a mix of everything with a bow on top, the kai Māori gift box includes a range of Māori kai offerings all packaged up and ready to gift. 

Pets 

Pounamu pet tags for those who LOVE their kitty or doggo.

Got a favourite Māori or Pasifika gift recommendation? Add it in the comments below.