Toki Whau
A Whau is a small toki that is made for chisel type work. More delicate or intricate carving, where the toki is for removing material and making a general shape.
This toki whau is made from deep kawa kawa pounamu.
A Whau is a small toki that is made for chisel type work. More delicate or intricate carving, where the toki is for removing material and making a general shape.
This toki whau is made from deep kawa kawa pounamu.
In the hands of a carver, Pounamu is transformed into more than just an adornment; it becomes a narrative etched in stone, a tangible representation of family bonds and shared stories. This narrative is told through the ‘Whānau Tūhono’ set, a collection of Pounamu pendants specially carved for a family, embodying their unity and individual…
This is a combination of a toki form with a pattern to represent the weaving or raranga of harakeke/flax. Raranga can represent many things. It represents a variety of facets being woven together to create something more than the individual parts. In this way it can be used to represent a whanau, or community, or…
I recently completed a unique Pounamu Toki for a long-serving member of our school’s trust board, a man deeply connected to the outdoors and a steadfast supporter of both myself and our Outdoor Education programme. It was an honour to be asked to create this piece on behalf of the school to acknowledge his invaluable…
This set was made for two people that were made for each other. A matching set that will be able to show the abstract concepts of love and connection and commitment that being wed to another is about. You can see in this image how they were sitting in the piece of pounamu before being…
Pounamu, also known as New Zealand greenstone, holds immense cultural significance for the Maori people. It’s a vessel of stories, emotions, and traditions that span generations. The “Whānau Kotahi” set, which translates to “Unified Family”, is a beautiful embodiment of this sentiment. This particular set of four pendants, carved for a family of four –…
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…