Tekoteko wero

 One of our creative works for our second semester is a tekoteko.  I started a maquette way back in June for a design I had sketched up based on a tekoteko my bro had started.  It was good practice and was just on a block of pine.

This semester we have a block of totara to work on (150x150x600) to create our tekoteko.  I decided to create a new design for this project.  Here's the project brief:

I've decided to create a contemporary tekoteko which will represent 'Rangiriri - he rākau mana.  I've played around with shapes and I had a go at using polystyrene for my first maquette to get my head around the first cuts.  Still not satisfied I have the design right yet, I continue to sketch ideas for the contemporary piece.

When arriving at the workshop today I looked at some of the artworks and took photos to try and give me ideas of different 3D forms.  There's some beautiful pieces in our carving shed and I'm thankful to have access to them, there's nothing quite like walking around pieces rather than looking at them in a book.

Pākati Whakarei

 My new wero is to practise carving whakarei.  Pākati is the first (of many) that I am attempting to improve in.  Ive had a number of lessons from Kawiti and the little videos have been helpful.  There's nothing quite like getting in there a tackling the task at hand.

Last week I started practising.  It's a looooong process but I like the fact that Kawiti is a perfectionist when it comes to pākati so it's great having a tutor that takes the time to try and teach the 'correct' way - he taonga tuku iho from our tūpuna and also a tribute to his own tutor/mentor Eric Korewha.

Here's some photos of my progress:

The thing I'm struggling with is telling those who are trying to share their own knowledge about how to carve pākati that I don't want to do it their way lol.  I'm just too nice.  I appreciate others sharing their knowledge and I sit patiently, watch and listen, but I don't have the heart to say "Well, Kawiti is our tutor and I'm going to do it his way"  Haha!

So this week I've been sharpening my whao and working on pākati.  Here's a comparison I've made of Kawiti's and my pākati.

I need to work on consistency and trying to keep the whakarei centred and sharp.

Pouwhenua for Te Wairoa

 When I took on the wero of learning whakairo, I thought to myself "Cool no-one will ask me to carve them anything because of my bro Johnny".  

A couple of weeks ago a dear friend of mine asked me to carve her son (Te Wairoa) a taiaha for his 3rd birthday.  At first I was like... "What the heck, I'm not at that point yet!"  But the more I thought about it and after talking to my hoa rangatira Patrick about it, he suggested I carve him a pouwhenua, which he said would be better for a toddler because there are not rules around using it compared to a taiaha.

I had the honour of making Te Wairoa's ipu whenua (which I hadn't made for over 20years).  It is now buried out at Whakapara on his Mum's tupuna whenua.  So, I warmed to the idea and thought it would be good practice.

I purchased some doweling from Bunnings and thought about how I was going to make it.  Patrick recommended it to be short so he would get used to swinging it around and doweling would be nice and light.

I drew a few sketches in my book and looked at some traditional pouwhenua online.

I kept it simple and decided that I would paint it when finished.  I called it "Hoeroa" which refers to one of the kaitiaki in Te Wairoa Awa.  A story we all learnt growing up.

Ko Poko poko te Taniwha
Ko Rangiriri te rakau whakangautai 

Ko Hoeroa ngā Ngaru
Ko Mahuhu ki te rangi te waka
Ko Rongamai te Ariki
Ko Ngatiwhatua te Iwi 

I enjoyed the little wero of creating this pouwhenua,  I painted 'Hoeroa' nga ngaru e toru and highlighted parts of the face - taniwha Rangiriri.  The feathers represent the karuhiruhi (shag), another kaitiaki of the taniwha Rangiriri te rakau whakangautai.