Thursday, November 21, 2024

Matua: His Mandate with Destiny

November 14, 2010 by  
Filed under Main Blog

Haami Moeke Snr QSM was a respected Maori kaumatua (Elder). He passed away recently. He was both my friend and my carving mentor. To me, he was matua or simply Haami. The thing I loved most about him was

Hura Kohatu, the Unveiling

November 16, 2008 by  
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It was an ambivalent day, the day of my great grandmother Moewaka Jane Rapana’s unveiling, ambivalent how? Well, neither the day nor the weather could agree who was going to have first say about how events would pan out and eventually we left them to argue between themselves like siblings in a childhood dust up.

Pieces in the Puzzle

November 9, 2008 by  
Filed under Main Blog

We are like a human tuna (or eel, in English) that snakes its way back down from the front of the wharenui along the right-hand side to where the tangata whenua greet us with a kiss and hug or with a hongi (the traditional Maori greeting featuring the pressing together of noses). I’m reminded of […]