Biography: Williams, Herbert William

Drawings of designs from the rafters of a Māori meeting house, by Herbert William Williams

Three horizontal designs, incorporating swirling red, black and white koru patterns.

Best known as a Māori linguist, Bishop Herbert William Williams was also very interested in Māori culture and tradition, and made these ink drawings for one of Augustus Hamilton's ethnological projects.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: E-331-f-025/027

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

How to cite this page

Bruce Biggs. 'Williams, Herbert William', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1996. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/2147/drawings-of-designs-from-the-rafters-of-a-maori-meeting-house-by-herbert-william (accessed 24 June 2026).