Ancient Toki Replica

Kia ora, friends. Sometimes you need to create something just because your hands itch to do so, you know? That’s how I felt the other day. I found myself with a beautiful piece of kawakawa pounamu, and all of a sudden, I could see its true shape waiting to come out. This toki (adze) design…

I recently carved a special piece of Pounamu for a colleague at my kura who has stepped into a significant leadership position. His dedication, guidance, and coordination in the work we’ve shared has been outstanding. I wanted to acknowledge his efforts in a meaningful way, so I created a taonga that symbolises the weight of…

I’m pleased to share one of my creations, a large Pounamu Toki carved from Kawakawa Pounamu sourced from the sacred Arahura River. This piece stands out not only for its size—an impressive 85mm in length—but also for its unique features and deep symbolism. I’ve named this piece Whakairo Tūmanako, which means “Carving Hope.” I chose…

This is a Toki Whao carved from basalt, or Ōnewa, sourced from Banks Peninsula in Canterbury, South Island of New Zealand. This piece is 5cm long and showcases the dark grey hues of the basalt stone, which contrast beautifully with the tan lashing cord. The Toki Whao represents a traditional Māori chisel, a tool used…