Whakairo Rākau

Wood Carving

It is a carver, not the wood
that has the understanding

i

Ehara i a te rākau te whakaaro, kei ā te tohunga tārai i te rākau te whakaaro

It is a carver, not the wood that has the understanding

Wood has been an intrinsic part of Māori material culture since the first arrival of our polynesian ancestors to these shores. It is the most prevalent material in our visual language, used to build waka, meetinghouses, weaponry and symbols of status.

x