‘Three Wooden Statues’
Three Wooden Statues
Tag: Carvings
Whare Iti (Little House)
Cool little Maori storehouse at Orakei Marae in Auckland.
An original ” tiny house “(before they were trendy) ,but with striking ,elaborate carved frontage that no price could be put on.
Quite possibly the best mattress storage space in the world!
Wooden Flower
Contemporary Pasifika carved artwork catches the sun on a building exterior in Auckland yesterday.
An enclosed flower at the centre of the design ,lines radiating outwards.
Abstract symbols that spoke to me yesterday of gratitude and hope.
That may or may not be what was intended by the carver.
Beauty in the eye of the beholder ,and so forth.
In the same way ,the power of symbols lies in simple representations, over which we overlay the complex realities of our own lives.
Condensed and visible symbols help us more easily make sense of our world.
If you could express who you are ,or maybe just the day you are having, as a symbol, what would it be?
Two Guardians
Carved statue at Orakei Marae and Rangitoto Island are twin guardians, as a sea fog rests on the waters of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour during the week.
Tekoteko
Pictured is the tekoteko , carved figurines, representing ancestors of the Ngati Whatua,the iwi( tribe) whose main marae is where I was working today,at Orakei ,Auckland.
Fascinating and fearsome in black! The bird of prey at the bottom is different to many such meeting houses – I need to look into the story behind it,and all three figurines,will get back if I find out more….
Gateway To The Meeting House
The gateway to the meeting house ( or wharenui, literally “big house”) at Orakei Marae, Auckland, NZ with its ornate carvings and traditional spiral motifs. Close ups of two of the carved figures are featured in the previous post I am lucky enough to work at this beautiful and powerful place, delivering weekly community legal clinics in rooms behind this structure (in a considerably less ornate building I have to say).Before or afterwards, I have taken many shots of this turangawaewae (standing place) of the Ngati Whatua iwi(tribe).Again, symbols and stories abound…
Kaitiaki(Guardians)
Ebb Then Flood 