More than 140 iwi representatives from across the motu have gathered at Te Papa marae in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington today for the launch of a very special book.

Te Ata O Tu the New Zealand Wars Collection features more than 500 objects from the New Zealand Wars - from weapons to paintings to soldier's letters.

Some of them are also on display - and for some iwi and whanau - they're seeing them for the first time.

One of the author's of Te Ata O Tu the New Zealand Wars Collection and Te Papa's history curator Katie Cooper spoke to Charlotte Cook.