Maori Land Court records have been made available at Auckland libraries as a tool for Maori to research their whakapapa.
The public can now read up on court minutes and judges' minute books as part of Family History month which runs in August.
Auckland Libraries Maori reference librarian Margaret Ngaropo says the records are in many cases the only written record of Maori history.
Ms Ngaropo says when Maori gave evidence at hearings, they would include information about their whakapapa, how their land was being used and the history of their area.
She says there is a vast amount of oral history and whakapapa to be found in the minute books.
Ms Ngaropo says she had not seen any written history about her area in the north until she looked through the Maori Land Court minutes.