New Year, New Challenges, Whanau Set






Have you ever held a piece of pounamu and felt a connection to the land and history of Aotearoa (New Zealand)? These taonga (treasured possessions) hold stories waiting to be told, and today I’m excited to share two special pieces I carved: a toki and a roimata, both crafted from the same beautiful raukaraka pounamu,…
In carving this unique whānau set, I was inspired to create something truly meaningful that reflects the strength and unity of the family it represents. This set, named ‘Te Whare Kaha’ (The Strong House), embodies the foundation upon which this family stands—strong, interconnected, and enduring. When joined together, these pieces form the shape of a…
I’m pleased to share one of my creations, a large Pounamu Toki carved from Kawakawa Pounamu sourced from the sacred Arahura River. This piece stands out not only for its size—an impressive 85mm in length—but also for its unique features and deep symbolism. I’ve named this piece Whakairo Tūmanako, which means “Carving Hope.” I chose…
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 is a set for a special whanau that connect with the ngahere/bush. they even had the analogy of a sheltering tree in their wedding vows. The fact that these are all from the same piece of pounamu as well as the connected through the theme of the ngahere is double important for this whanau….
I recently carved a special piece of Pounamu for a colleague at my kura who has stepped into a significant leadership position. His dedication, guidance, and coordination in the work we’ve shared has been outstanding. I wanted to acknowledge his efforts in a meaningful way, so I created a taonga that symbolises the weight of…