Kete ō Taonga
There was so much depth and mana to this piece before I even got involved, it was a real privilege to be the one to influence and carve this design.
Kath was given this piece of pounamu by friends of hers as a symbol of her connection to Aotearoa, so already this piece held significance for her.
There were many layers of meaning she talked about when she described her connection to Aotearoa and what this pendant would mean to her. I decided it would be best to include her words here.
“So what the stone means to me – it was given me by my close friends and symbolises for me my place here as Tangata Tiriti. That sense carries w it a duty of kaitiaki – that i need to live up to the trust Aotearoa has placed in having me here. Shapes in nature that draw me always.“
“West coast waves – constant sound and glimpsed from deck.”
“Trees – pohutukawa that our whare is nestled under.”
“Birds – ruru that calls me to sleep each night Also tui, that wake me And kereru and kotare always in the trees here.”
“Koru of new beginnings, life here unfurling.”
“Marama – the moon, knowledge/wisdom, my astology ‘planet’ – and in the same phase here as my UK whanau all have – when everything else (seasons, night day) are reversed.”
“My work I love most – to learn and teach others to tell their stories. Helping amazing conservation and social good organisations – so lucky.“
The design represented three aspects of Te Ao, shown by korus, those aspects were nga manu, the ocean and the waves, and the trees. The circular/oval shape comes from the moon and also can represent the continuity of learning and teaching throughout our lives.
Such a special and meaningful piece. It was great that Kath’s Tane was involved in the process as the gift giver too.
Kath is very generous with her words and asked me to include this in the post as well.
“Working with Campbell was a joy from the outset. He shares my aroha for the rest of nature and intuitively interpreted my feelings into shapes. Campbell is a careful communicator and a talented carver. We love what he has made for me.”
I took many photos of the process, this can add so much value to the story of the pendant and for person who already has a deep connection to this pounamu, a connection that will strengthen the more they wear it and are near to it.
