The Arawa carving style can be traced to Ngati Awa

Te Ao Hou, April 1958, Page 32

The Arawa carving style can be traced to Ngati Awa In 1929 I inspected the carved house at the Spa, Taupo, and I thought that I recognised characteristics of East Coast carvings in the form of the head and other features. On enquiring I found that the carvings had been done for Hoani Meihana, a chief of Oruanui, in the eighties by one Wero of Ngati-Hinemihi of the Rotorua District. I followed this up and ascertained that Wero was Left: Typical of the old Tatanaki style, this carving from a lintel found at Awakino is now in the Auckland Museum. (Peter Blanc Photograph)

of the Ngati-Tarawhai tribe of Okaitaina, Rotorua, famous for its carvers. In latter days that tribe produced Anahe Te Rahui, Tene of Whakarewarewa, Neke Kapua of Te Teko and his sons, one of whom, Eramiha Kapua was trained in the Auckland Museum workshop, also Te Ngaru Rapana of Mourea. Pokiha's pataka and most of the Maketu carvings were their work as well as the carved houses at Otaramarae and the one at Puna Whakareia to the east of which the road branches off to the Lake Okaitaina. My amateur investigations had led me to connect the Ngati-Tarawhai section of the Arawa carvings with those of the East Coast—the head form, details of pitau, pakati, pataha design and other features were so much alike as to Right: This bone-chest found in Hokianga is typical of ancient Northland carving styles. Now in Auckland Museum. (Photo: Peter Blanc)

Poupou from the interior of a carved house at Te Whaiti, Urewera. This carving, now in the Dominion Museum, exemplifies the art of the Urewera and shows the influence of a Te Arawa carver in the interrupted spirals and in the manaia used on the palms of the hands. Finger nails and shaped fingers are also an Arawa feature. (Dominion Museum Photograph) point to a common origin. But where would this origin be? I put this question to elders of Ngati-Tarawhai at Ohinemutu, who acknowledged that many generations ago there had been a kai-taonga between the Ngati-Awa of Whakatane and Ngati-Tarawhai, a pakuha, an exchange of marriage gifts—and the latter received a knowledge of the art of carving from the Ngati-Awa carvers, members of the Apanui (Hurinui Apanui's forbears) family who lived at Wairaka pa. below Toi-kai-rakau's pa at Whakatane. Ngati-Tarawhai will account for all Arawa carving except a type which appears native to Ohinemutu. Here the head is very long and so are the eyes with a more pronounced slant than anywhere else. I cannot say whether the latter is a distinct school. It may be a native Arawa school of carving at Ohinemutu which has for long been a carving centre.