Tipene Oneroa Te Takapū o Rotowhio Student Story
Monday 25th July, 2022
Photographer – Tipene Oneroa
Tipene Oneroa, born and raised in Australia, returning home to Aotearoa upon successfully securing a place within our wananga, he is nearing the end of his whāinga aronui (3rd year extra studies) at Te Takapū o Rotowhio (NZMACI’s National Bone & Stone Carving School).
Due to graduate at the end of September, Tipene has been working on a series of three pieces, based on a customary Te Tai Tokerau (Northern) style of papa kōiwi (burial chest). Having approached his series with the intent of creating vessels containing representations of life, death and the place in-between, the afterlife.
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- “First in this series I used parāoa (whale bone) the piece is a rendition, of an already existing historical piece, representing Maui and his attempt to capture immortality, ultimately leading to his demise.
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- The second piece I carved from pounamu (NZ jade) inspired by historical papa kōiwi, I wanted to expand my technical ability, to push the translucency within this piece to make it glow, representing life and rebirth.
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- Currently I am carving my third and final piece of this series out of ōnewa (greywacke), a medium sized sculpture that captures the mystical elements of the unknown, the afterlife”.