Our Carvers
Lewis Tamihana Gardiner
Tutor
Ngāti Pikiao / Ngāti Awa / Te Whānau a Apanui / Ngai Tahu
Lewis’ desire to learn is simple “Appreciation of traditional Māori adornment which expanded to the beauty of Pounamu.”
As a tutor he hopes his students will also grasp this appreciation “…to plant the seeds of Māori art and design.”
Thomas Tamati
Pounamu Carver
Ngāti Ranginui
Tommy, as he’s known at Te Puia, returns to the New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute (NZMACI) where he also completed his Whakairo (Māori Carving) diploma.
Having also graduated from Waiariki Polytechnic with a Diploma in Visual Arts, Tommy is a very skilled artist in his own right. “To come back [here] with another skill, Pounamu, it adds to the NZMACI kete (basket).”
Niki Nepia
Carver / Student
Tūhoe
Niki’s passion for to learn the art of carving Pounamu comes from his childhood “Came from a natural talent for designs inspired by the elements of my upbringing.”
He believes his legacy will live on the tāonga (treasures) he creates “A lasting treasure both spiritual and physical…”
Matetu Herewini
Carver / Student
Te Whānau a Apanui / Te Ati Awa
As an aspiring Māori artist, Matetu’s heritage is his foundation and also his muse “My inspiration comes from my family, my culture and where I am from.”
For Matetu, the legacy of his work transcends his time here at Te Puia “I see it as an environment where the matauranga (knowledge) of our Tipuna (ancestors) lives.”
Luke Mutu
Student
Te Arawa
With no previous experience in this field, Luke is learning both an appreciation for the Pounamu (greenstone) and the art of creating tāonga (treasures).
He’s quite practical about his involvement with Te Puia’s Pounamu School “It’s important to me because it is one of the country’s most successful Māori enterprises.”
