Te Haerenga – The Journey – Whanau Set

This set is full of significance and meaning for the whanau that will be wearing it. It represents their connection to one another and the significant journey and time in their life that are currently in.

The big toki is for the father who I worked with to design this set for his whanau.

The design on the front at the bottom is a hei matau to represent his connection to the outdoors and in particular the ocean, te moana.

The rest of the design is an intertwining koru that is replicated on the rear of his wife’s koru. This is to symbolise their connection and relationship.

Each piece has a koru carved into it, this is to represent the time of life they are going through and also the origin of the name for this set Te Haerenga – The Journey. The family are on a massive trip at the moment exploring the world, such a time of change and evolution, ripe for new growth and new beginnings which is what the koru represents.

This element is the three notches that is on the edge of each piece as well. A way to remember the other three members of the whanau.

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Where a pounamu pendant begins always amazes me. Once the carving begins the raw material will never be the same again. So much value is created in the carving. It is cool and important to see and remember where the final product came from and the journey of change it underwent to become what it is now.

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