Te Whatu Whānau translates as “the family weave.” This name was chosen because this set is about many lives woven together from a single source. Every taonga in this set comes from the same gifted cobble of Pounamu, carrying the same whakapapa, yet each piece holds its own form, role, and meaning within the whānau….
Whakapiringa means to be bound together. This name was chosen to reflect the kaupapa of this whānau set: four individuals, each with their own form and role, all connected through whakapapa, shared stone, and a common story. Every piece in this set was carved from the same block of deep green Kawakawa Pounamu sourced from…
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…
I carved this pair of toki as a special commission for a father who wanted to gift something deeply personal to his two daughters. I have named this set Te Tirohanga Whānau, which translates to “The Gaze of the Family,” reflecting the idea of parents always watching over, guiding, and caring for their children. The…
This taonga was carved as a companion piece to a Hei Toki I had previously made for a father, gifted to him by his rugby team for his 50th birthday. When he got in touch again, it was because he wanted something equally meaningful for his daughter – a piece that spoke to who she…
Te Whenua e Tūhono Ana translates as “the land that connects us”. It speaks to connection through place, whakapapa, and whānau, and to the way land can bind people together through care, work, and shared responsibility. This name reflects both the kaupapa of this set and the origin of the kōhatu itself. This set of…
Niho Whenua o Akaroa speaks to whakapapa, place, and the strength that comes from deep connection to whenua. This taonga was carved as a Christmas gift from a daughter to her mother, carrying with it the mother’s strong ancestral ties to Akaroa and the surrounding whenua. The name reflects this connection — niho as a…
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…
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