Tūhoe, Children of the Mist

'Tūhoe, Children of the Mist' is Elsdon Best's extensive two-volume ethnographic study of the Tūhoe iwi, first published in 1925, compiling material he recorded over decades in Te Urewera.

The books gather histories, whakapapa, rituals, and cultural practices recited by Tūhoe rangatira and kaumatua, and for much of the 20th century served as a principal written source on pre-European Tūhoe life.

While invaluable for preserving many oral traditions, the work reflects Best's interpretive lens and some contested theories, so modern scholars treat it critically.

Its scope and detail make it a major historical resource, but it must be read in conjunction with contemporary Tūhoe scholarship and perspectives.

The volumes illustrate both the value and limits of early ethnographic documentation produced within colonial contexts.