I carved Te Here o te Wā, meaning “the connection of time”, for my uncle as a birthday gift from my auntie. She decided it was time for him to have a toki, and together we chose a piece of inanga pounamu that suited a taonga about strength, whānau and our connection across generations. The…
I have named this taonga Toki Mārama. Mārama can refer to light, clarity and understanding, making it a fitting name for both the remarkable pounamu and the meaning carried by the toki. Its translucent apple-green colour allows light to pass deeply through the stone, while pale gold flowering across one face creates a striking contrast….
This set of six hei toki was carved for a mother and her five children (two of her own and three step children), connecting them with the kawakawa Pounamu hei toki I had previously carved for their husband and father. His toki was gifted for his 50th birthday and became a powerful source of strength…
Te Aka Whānau means “the family vine”. This name was chosen because these two taonga represent a whānau whose lives grow from the same source and remain connected through love, loss and new life. The koru extend from a shared parent stem, much like vines or young fern fronds growing together, while both pieces were…
Te Pou o te Whānau means “the pillar of the family”. This name was chosen for a large hei toki commissioned by a mother and her three daughters as a Father’s Day gift for the father of their whānau. It recognises his strength, his importance and the place he holds within the family. Most importantly,…
He Kete Mātauranga means “A Basket of Knowledge”, a name chosen to recognise the knowledge, wisdom and experience that this coach has brought to the New Zealand senior men’s canoe polo team. This hei toki was commissioned by the Paddle Blacks as a gift for their French coach, acknowledging everything he has contributed to the…
Te Kaha o te Toki means “The Strength of the Adze”, a name that reflects both the traditional meaning of the toki and the sheer presence of this taonga. At 13 cm long, 5.5 cm wide and more than 2 cm thick, this is a substantial toki, with a weight and scale that give its…
Kotahi te Pūtake means “One Source”, a name that reflects the kaupapa behind this set of five hei toki. Each taonga is individual, but all five come from the same piece of Pounamu and carry the same marks representing three generations of one whānau. This set was commissioned by a mother for herself, her husband…
Some taonga are created for an individual. Others are created to celebrate the people who walk through life together. This set was commissioned for a family of four, with each member receiving a taonga that reflected both who they are individually and the bond they share as a whānau. I named the collection Te Ara…
This Hei Toki was carved as a replacement for a Fire and Emergency long service award after the original taonga, which had already been prepared for presentation, was unfortunately lost. My role was to create a new taonga that would carry the same purpose and recognition, ensuring the recipient still received a meaningful piece to…
Sign up for my newsletter and be the first to know
about new products, promotions, and more.
