Classic Toki style, made from Kawa Kawa Pounamu from the Arahura River. The Toki was a originally a tool used by Maori. The pounamu was painstakingly shaped into heavy and robust forms and could be either lashed to a handle or held in the hand. They were used for cutting down trees, carving out canoes/waka,…
This pounamu is to represent the man of the whanau. To support the Rangatiratanga – Leadership and Mana that he holds in this role. A toki traditionally represents leadership, authority, and mana. This is very appropriate for the kaupapa of this pendant. Made for one man in particular. The slice of pounamu that was chosen…
Gorgeous set of deep kawakawa pounamu. Toki and Pikorua. Here are some shots of the process. The finished set.
Notches can be used to represent many things such as, people, whanau members, ideals, values, or experiences. For this toki the notches are for special whanau members for the wearer. Seeing some of the process from the rough piece of pounamu through to the finished taonga is priceless, if it is not recorded as it…
This is a pounamu that is part of a larger set. The set was made for a childrens book that my wife created. There is one pounamu for each page of the book. The main page for this is called Sand in my toes salt in my nose and you can see all the artwork and pounamu…
This is a spectacular pounamu and a spectacular set of carvings for this whanau. It is made from inganga pounamu from the Arahura river. It has chatoyant or pipiwhirauroa characteristics which can make it shimmer in the light. It is named for the long tail feathers of the pipiwhirauroa. First steps were choosing the slices…
Having two pendants carved from the same piece of pounamu is special. It connects the wearers in a tangible way that fits perfectly with the commitments made at a wedding. This set is made from high quality deep green kawa kawa pounamu from the Arahura River. It is joy to carve and work with. The…
Pounamu is often used as a way of connecting with Aotearoa and with home. That is what this set is about. This is a double koru that goes across all three pieces. It represents the different paths we take and how they all lead to or start from the same center, home. Pounamu from Aotearoa…
This is a toki I made for a first nations brother in America. He connected with me online, shared some stories and made a good trade. This pounamu is fantastic in simple forms that show off the colors. Deep green through to firey oranges, makes this a stand out piece. It is always cool to…