Whats happening
Maori artworks in Te Wao Nui
Maori artworks are an integral part of the Te Wao Nui experience - a journey on which everyone is invited to slow down, reconnect with nature, and we hope, be inspired to be kaitiaki (guardians) for New Zealand's unique natural treasures.
World-renowned artists Lyonel Grant (of Te Arawa), Bernard Makaore (of Te Rarawa and Ngati Whatua) and Manos Nathan (of Te Roroa, Ngati Whatua and Nga Puhi) collectively form the team of collaborative artists called TuWao who are creating over a dozen artworks for Te Wao Nui.
Some of these artworks are now installed. These include:
Tumu Herenga Waka - a 7m tall sculpture at the entrance to Te Wao Nui
Designer: Lyonel
Grant
Carvers: Lyonel Grant, Bernard Makoare, Tracy Brown, Mike Taniere, Phillip Birch, Manos Nathan and Amorangi Hikuroa
Tumu Herenga Waka is a modern sculpture made up of important traditional Maori elements of welcome, invitation, journey and discovery. It is inspired by traditional palisade posts once seen surrounding traditional Maori pa by visitors as they approached. These posts (tuwatawata) have been gathered together to form a tumu herenga waka, or canoe tethering post.
Wherever you are from in the world, you are invited to tether your waka (canoe) here and begin a journey of discovery through Te Wao Nui's unique and pristine habitats, filled with wonderful creatures, sights and sounds from throughout New Zealand.
Materials used include recycled wharf piles from Westhaven Marina, marine rope, totara timber for the heads and waka prow, and clay for three of the heads.
Tane Nui a Rangi - a 4m x 1.5m high carving in Te Wao Nui's The Forest (Te Wao Nui a Tāne).
Designer: Lyonel
Grant
Carvers: Lyonel Grant, Bernard Makaore, Mike Taniere, Tracey Brown and Phillip Birch
Te Wao Nui a Rangi is dedicated to the great Polynesian ancestor, Tane. Tane is known by many names. Here he is known as Tane Nui a Rangi which describes his role in attaining the three kete (baskets) of knowledge. His journey to get these kete was filled with many challenges - reminding us all that knowledge is not always easily obtained, and challenges are a part of learning and earning knowledge.
Made of totara timber, Te Wao Nui a Rangi stands bold and strong in Te Wao Nui's The Forest, surrounded by his creations - plants, trees, birds, insects and people. This beautiful serene habitat is a place of contemplation, meditation, discovery and learning.
Repo - A 3m high carving in Te Wao Nui's The Wetlands (Ngā Repo)
Designers: Manos Nathan and Lyonel
Grant
Carvers: Manos Nathan, Bernard Makoare, Mike Taniere, Tracey Brown
Preservation of precious culture, taonga and the role of creatures as caretakers are key elements of this carving, which is made of totara and kauri timber. It is a reminder of the important role that repo (wetlands) environments, habitats and their inhabitants plays in the maintenance and care of Maori culture and stories embedded in taonga (cultural treasures), and sometimes buried in the swampy land.
From ancient times, Maori learned about some of the preservative properties naturally present in some swamp and wetland areas. These areas sometimes became repositories for important taonga and the inhabitants became the guardians and caretakers of them.
About the artists
Lyonel Grant
Lyonel Grant was born in
1957 and is of Te Arawa descent. An honours graduate from the
New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, Lyonel
trained under master carver John Taiapa.
In 1984 Lyonel carved the meeting house, Matapihi o te Rangi in Tokoroa and Ihenga in Rotorua. Other major commissions include the Pou Wairua for the foyer of Auckland's Sky City. He was part of the award-winning design team for Tourism New Zealand 100% Pure New Zealand Ora Garden of Well-being at the 2004 UK Chelsea Flower Show.
Lyonel says: "Each work I produce is a synthesis of emotion, lineage to the past masters, a statement of personal expression, and a product of one's supposed mastery over the base material employed."
In 2009, Lyonel completed the carving of the wharenui (meeting house) at Unitec in Mt Albert, Auckland, for which he was awarded an honorary doctorate.
Bernard Makoare
Bernard Makoare is of Te Rarawa and Ngati Whatua
descent. The world-renowned artist, designer and musician is based
in Kaihu, and has strong family ties with both the Kaipara and
Hokianga harbours.
Bernard has been working with wood since the age of six, and now works in many media, specialising in bone, and especially whale bone. He says much of his work involves graphic design but carving "is where my heart is".
He has exhibited around New Zealand and overseas alongside fellow local Maori artist
Bernard Makoare is currently project manager, Ngati Whatua Heru Hapai: Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua and secretary of Tama ta uaua marae, Kaihu. He is also a member of Haerewa, the Maori advisory board which works with the Auckland Art Gallery, a Ngati Whatua representative on the Taumata-a-iwi at Auckland Museum, and newly appointed to Puatatangi Committee of Toi Maori Creative New Zealand.
Manos Nathan
Manos Nathan is of Te
Roroa, Ngati Whatua and Nga Puhi descent. He was born in Rawene,
Hokianga, in 1948 and grew up in Titahi Bay in
Porirua.
Long considered one of New Zealand's leading clay artists, Manos works out of his home studio and workshop in Dargaville and Ahi-ka-roa workshop and kiln at Matatina Marae in the Waipoua forest.
Manos says: "As a Maori clay worker I have a rich heritage of allegory and metaphor to draw on as a cultural template - a foundation and springboard from which to reinterpret and develop an identity for the non-customary medium."
Manos Nathan has exhibited extensively in New Zealand and overseas. His works are found in public and private collections worldwide including the British Museum, the Museum of Scotland, Burke Museum in Seattle and Te Papa Tongarewa.