Carving Out Identity
Once Dreamers' whakairo designs receive the seal of approval, they dove into Matua Henare’s legendary carving box, a treasure chest filled with tools and a variety of bones waiting to be transformed.
If you wander near the carving room during the Whakairo After School Programme at Tikipunga Primary School on a Monday afternoon, you won’t hear the usual playground chatter. Instead, you’ll find a focused silence, broken only by the steady scrape of tools against bone and the gentle guidance of masters at work.
For Koa Matete, Year 5 Navigator at Tikipunga Primary, the Term 2 programme is a special opportunity to share her deep-seated passion for toi Māori with her Dreamers.
Under the expert guidance of Matua Henare Heta and Malwayne Edwards, in Week 1, Dreamers were given notebooks and pencils and asked to design their taonga. Some chose intricate patterns, others focused on the form of the jewellery, and from there on, the real work began.
Once their designs receive the seal of approval, Dreamers dive into Matua Henare’s legendary carving box, a treasure chest filled with tools and a variety of bones waiting to be transformed. Some Dreamers quickly shaped up their pieces, getting a feel for the material before tackling the fine details of their original designs.
Matua Henare is a staple of our community, having spent years as a teacher’s aid at Te Kura o Otangarei and Totara Grove. With over 60 years of carving experience, he’ll humbly tell you he’s “not that good,” but the Dreamers know better. The immense respect they show him speaks volumes. Under the patient watch of both Matua Henare and Matua Malwayne, the students feel safe to explore, create, and ask the curious questions that naturally arise, like confirming that they are, in fact, working with beef bones!
With only a seven-week term, Koa said the Dreamers had to put in some extra hours to ensure every detail of the taonga was perfect to be completed in time for a whānau Matariki event at the end of term, where Matua Henare officially handed over the finished pieces to the Dreamers.
While this term flew by, Koa hopes this is just the beginning. The goal is to keep the Whakairo programme running throughout the year, potentially cementing it as a cornerstone offering from I Have a Dream. By connecting our Dreamers with traditional arts and local experts, we’re helping to carve out a stronger sense of identity for our tamariki.
Check out the finished taonga blessed by Matua Henare and handed to the Dreamers at their very own Matariki celebration!
