Whanaungatanga – Whakapapa

This set is designed for the pure purpose of connection. Connection with immediate whanau and with those that went before.

The two middle pieces are for the parents in this whanau. The two notches on the sides of their toki are for their two boys.

The three lines are to show the link with their UK roots. While the pounamu itself is a solid link with their whakapapa maori.

Connection becomes really important when family grow and begin leading lives in different directions, with travel, careers, and building their own whanau to nurture the next generation. Having a set of pounamu that all comes from the same piece a very significant way of staying connected to your roots.

It is always cool to see what pounamu taonga came from. First just an idea and a conversation that forms into a design sketched out. Then a choice or raw pounamu to craft the final product from. One of the things I like about carving is that you never really know how the final product will look, it is an art not a manufactured process. Being able to follow the character of the stone and use any incidents that may happen on the way.