Tāne Mahuta Astride Aoraki

1984

Te Warihi Hetaraka

Accessible

Type

  • Carving
  • Whakairo

Medium

  • Wood

Dimensions

  • H1150 x W2440mm

Te Warihi Hetaraka (Ngāti Wai, Ngā Puhi, Tainui), ‘Tāne Manuta Astride Aoraki’ (1984), University of Canterbury, Ilam Campus, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Image Credit: Bronwyn Holloway-Smith, Public Art Heritage Aotearoa New Zealand, 2021

1984–Current

School of Forestry, University of Canterbury, Ilam Campus, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Artists
Credit

University of Canterbury Art Collection. Gift of New Zealand Forestry Service

Associated Artwork Organisation(s)

Description

Carved out of Kauri by Tohunga Whakairo, Te Warihi Hetaraka, at the Russell State Forest Carving School, Te Tai Tokerau (Northland). The piece was gifted to the School of Forestry by the New Zealand Forest Service to symbolise the links between learning and forests.

It followed a visit to the Russell Carving School by the then second-professional year School of Forestry class in 1983.

The Bank of New Zealand assisted in the transport of the carving and bringing Te Warihi Hetaraka to Christchurch. The tapu was lifted at dawn on Tuesday 8 May 1984 and the carving was handed over to the School in a ceremony at 5.15pm that day.