Carve Your Own Pounamu Māori Whale’s Tooth Pendant
Using traditional methods and also modern machinery participants will get to create a Rei Niho (whale's tooth) pendant.
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Sat 16 Aug
- $215.00 incl. GST
Please note there is NO refund or transfer if you cancel less than 5 working days in advance of a class starting. Our refund policy can be read in full here.
Description
Come and learn about the practices associated with Māori arts whilst creating a Pounamu Whale's Tooth taonga in this one day workshop. Using traditional methods and also modern machinery participants will get to create a Rei Niho (whale's tooth) pendant.
Expected learning outcomes
- Participants will gain a skill set of using light hand tools safely
- Participants will learn braiding and lashing techniques
- Participants will gain insight into traditional Maori myths and legends also pre-European carving techniques
- In this workshop you will create your own beautiful piece of art that you can take home and treasure or give to a loved one as a special gift.
All materials are included within the course fee.
Rei niho Tohora or Rei Puta are pendants traditionally made from whales’ teeth. These taonga can be traced back to Eastern Polynesia and the first wave of ancient adventurers who landed in Aotearoa. These contemporary Pounamu whale's teeth represent the voyaging mavericks that travelled the Pacific and intrepidly explored new lands using ocean currents and star maps to cross the seas and discover the undiscovered lands of the Pacific.
What to bring
Your lunch. Tea and coffee are supplied. You will need to wear closed in shoes for safety, plus have long hair tied up and well back.
About your tutor
Maha has been carving bone and pounamu for over 10 years and has found that his art has opened doors to new places and new people, while at the same time connecting him back to old places, and to his old people. Maha is of Waikato Tainui, Rangitane, Ngati Kauwhata, Ngati Toa and Ngai Tahu descent and his hapu in Te Wai Pounamu is Ngati Huirapa of Arowhenua in Temuka.
Maha has a bachelor’s degree in Creative Arts and a post-graduate diploma in Cross-Cultural Supervision and is the Director at Aotearoa Bone and Stone Carving.
Maha’s workshops specialise in crafting contemporary Taonga.
“Following my passion for craft; I found purpose, direction and have strengthened my identity. I feel privileged and grateful to be able to share my passion for creating Taonga from beef bone and Pounamu. I enjoy the beauty of the materials. Simple forms with complex interweaving binding on Taonga that create an intrinsic balance with my work.”
