Story: Building trades

Carver, Whakarewarewa

Carver, Whakarewarewa

When this picture was taken in 2004, Arekatera Maihi (of Ngāti Whātua and Ngāpuhi descent) was a carver at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. Here he is using a traditional toki (adze) with a blade made from pounamu (greenstone) to shape his carving. Before Europeans introduced steel, Māori used these greenstone adzes to construct their whare (houses).

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New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute
Photograph by Shirley Williams

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How to cite this page:

Carl Walrond, 'Building trades - Early construction', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/24679/carver-whakarewarewa (accessed 24 April 2024)

Story by Carl Walrond, published 11 Mar 2010