Some people may not be familiar with his name, but master
carver Te Warihi Hetaraka is a major artist whose work is
to be found throughout Whangarei. His designs are incorporated
into the paving of the recently transformed Whangarei Mall,
while his carvings are seen daily by the students of Whangarei
Girls High School and visitors to the Whangarei Terenga Paraoa
Marae.
Not limited to Northland, Te Warihi is widely respected as
a master carver, tohunga, and his national profile is significant:
his work can be found in our wallets, as co-designer of the
new $10 note and his carvings are proudly shown to visitors
to the Maori Select Committee Room of the Houses of Parliament
in Wellington as fine examples of traditional Maori carving.
As kaitiaki of the Whangarei Art Museum, Te Warihi has been
involved in art museum projects and policy, locally and nationally.
He has recently been invited by the Northland Polytechnic
to be responsible for the carving at the Marae on the polytechnic
campus and is involved, with sculptor Chris Booth, in the
Wave & Waka Sculpture Project.
Text by
Desmond Ford
sculpture
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