Te Here o te Wā — A Connection Through Time

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 pounamu comes from the Hokitika area. It has beautiful swirling patterns of pale, opaque green, with light brown colouring from the rind of the stone. These natural variations give the toki its own character, with the brown sitting alongside the softer greens.

At approximately 75 millimetres long and 45 millimetres wide, it is a solid, substantial piece. The depth of the stone gave me room to carve rounded curves, creating a toki with a grounding presence that feels comfortable in the hand.

The toki represents strength, determination and purpose. Its origins as a working tool connect it with the effort needed to build, provide and shape a way forward. As a gift for my uncle, it acknowledges his place within our whānau and the strength he carries into that role.

I carved three small notches down one side to represent the past, the present and the future. They speak to time, but also to generations: those who came before us, those living alongside us, and those who will follow.

For this taonga, the notches are a reminder that we belong to a story that began long before us. We carry the influence of earlier generations through what they taught, built and passed on. In the present, we have our own part to play, including caring for the people around us and preparing the world for those still to come.

That is why I chose the name Te Here o te Wā. It speaks to the connection between those three parts of time and the responsibilities that come with being part of that continuity. Pounamu is a meaningful material for this kaupapa: an enduring taonga that can be worn, treasured and eventually passed on, carrying its story with it.

For my uncle, this toki brings together a gift of love from his wife, a connection to whānau, and a reminder of his place between generations. Carving it gave me time to think about those connections within our own family, and to put that meaning into something he can carry with him.