Te Whai Kaitiaki means The Guardian Ray. I chose this name because the whai carries a quiet but powerful presence. In te ao Māori, the stingray is often seen as a kaitiaki — a guardian and protector who moves calmly beneath the surface, aware of its surroundings and ready to defend when needed. It does…
Te Taura Whakapapa means the binding line of genealogy. I chose this name because this set was carved from a single family-held piece of Kawakawa Pounamu that had already travelled through generations. The stone itself carried whakapapa before I ever touched it. By shaping it into taonga for different members of the whānau, the line…
This sculpture was carved to honour a man stepping into his thirties with strength, openness, and deep roots in Aotearoa. Te Pou Whirinaki speaks of someone who stands steady for others. A pillar that people lean on. A man guided by his ancestors, grounded in his whenua, and supported by the unseen threads that run…
This sculpture brings together Ngā Maunga and te Moana in one form. Carved from dark grey argillite from South Westland, it represents the meeting of mountain and ocean — two forces that shape Aotearoa and define the landscape of places like Piopiotahi. The stone was given to me by a local collector who asked me…
Te Pūtake o te Manawanui means the source or foundation of inner strength. I chose this name because this taonga speaks directly to resilience that is grown, carried, and lived with over time, especially through challenge. This set was commissioned as a gift for a woman who, along with her whānau, has moved through a…
Ngā Manawa E Toru translates to “the three hearts.” This name was chosen to reflect three lives bound together by aroha, not as separate paths, but as one shared journey. It speaks to connection, protection, and the way love continues forward, even through loss. This taonga is carved from Pounamu and stands 4cm high. Its…
I carved this toki as a commissioned taonga named Kaha o te Ngaru. The name means “the strength of the wave,” and it speaks to resilience, movement, and the enduring power of the ocean as a source of guidance and protection. This piece brings together Māori and Pasifika symbolism in a single form, designed to…
The set is named Te Here Tohorā — the binding of the whale — a name that speaks to a connection that holds firm beneath the surface, shaped by movement, distance, and time. This commission came from a place of long commitment, distance, and persistence. The father has spent many years doing everything he could…
Tātau Whānau means “our family” or “all of us as a family.” I chose this name because these taonga come from a single slice of Pounamu that has travelled through generations of their Ngāi Tahu whānau. The name makes the meaning explicit: this stone has always belonged to the collective. By becoming a roimata and…
I have named this taonga Manu Huia, a reference to the treasured huia whose feathers were symbols of status, respect, and deep reverence. A huia feather represents dignity, leadership, and the carrying of whakapapa. It is a reminder of those we honour, the stories we hold, and the responsibility we carry as we move forward….
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