Paki Harrison

Of Ngāti Porou decent, Pakariki Harrison grew up in Ruatoria. As a youth he was mentored at Te Aute College (Hawke's Bay) by master carver Pine Taiapa. Harrison became a school teacher in Auckland, also teaching carving at night school.

His writing on carving led to a lecture tour of France in the early 1970s, supported by the QEII Arts Council. On his return he spent five years carving Te Wai Ariki, the whare tūpuna on Whaiora Marae, Otara. The house was opened on October 22, 1977.

"In the 1980s, Harrison lectured at the University of Auckland and was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Literature in 1991. In 1997, he and his wife – well-known weaver Hinemoa – received the 1997 Te Waka Toi Award in recognition of their lifetime achievements. This was followed by the Queen’s Service Order in 2000. In 2002, Harrison led the team who designed the Toi Iho / Māori Made mark for Creative New Zealand. He also led the team which placed the unit standards for Whakairo on the national framework."

"He published books on his wharenui, and showed his work in exhibitions nationally and in Italy, Japan, France, United States and Australia. In addition, years of research enabled him to analyse and explain the symbolism of the waka taua (war canoe), wharewhakairo (carved house) and kowhaiwhai."

~ cited from The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi

See also:

• Ranginui Walker, Tohunga Whakairo: Paki Harrison: the story of a master carver (Raupo/Penguin, 2008).
• He Tohunga Whakairo (2002) NZonScreen documentary
• wikipedia