Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Poi is a performance art employing a ball or balls suspended from a length of flexible material held in the hand and swung in circular patterns. Poi originates from the traditional performing arts of the M'ori people of New Zealand, and has since developed many forms enjoyed worldwide as a hobby, exercise, or performance art alongside juggling and other forms of object manipulation.In the M'ori language poi can mean the physical object, the choreography or the accompanying music.In Maori culture poi performance is practiced primarily by women. It is sometimes said that it was first used by men to develop wrist flexibility for the use of hand weapons, such as the club-like patu, mere, and kotiate;however, recent academic study has found no evidence of this.