Te Waka o Aoraki

Artwork

CreatorEdwards, GeorgeNameTe Waka o AorakiDate Made1995Medium DescriptionHand-carved kauriObject NumberLU175Dimensions1800 x 2400 x 480 mm (HxWxD)Further informationCarved in kauri by George Vincent Edwards, master carver, of Ngai Tahu and Ngati Irekehu ancestry, this taonga is a scaled down version of a waka taua (war canoe) and is modelled on the ancestral canoe Takitimu.

The carving is in a style called 'tuere', common to both northern New Zealand and the far south. Tradition has it that Takitimu was wrecked near Deep Cove in Fiordland. The tapu associated with this event was subsequently broken, resulting in a number of unfortunate incidents in the district.

Te Waka o Aoraki, together with its greenstone anchor, Te Punga (LU236), was gifted to Lincoln University by the Centre for Maori Studies and Research, after being blessed by the Reverend Maurice Grey, at a ceremony on March 16th 1995. Those honoured in the presentation were the Chancellor, Sir Alan Wright; the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bruce Ross; and Mr Waka Sterling, kaumatua of Taumutu runaka.

The carved images making up Te Waka o Aoraki follow traditional practice. Thus at the bow, the prow piece (tauihu) consisted of three areas, the first being a horizontal slab, the underside of which was carved with the spirits or gods of the underworld (Te Rarohenga). The upper surface of this usually had the figures of Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother, and Ranginui, the Sky Father, carved thereon. Above this was a vertical tracery with two spirals; a figure in the middle and a figure at each end. The figure at the front was usually the God of War, Tumatauenga. He, plus the other two figures, represented the children of Papa and Rangi, who forced their parents apart to allow light into the world and to enable the third and present state of the world, that of Te Ao Marama (The World of Light) to come into being. The third figure faced down the canoe to the rear with a foot on each side strake. These were alternately carved with manaia (spirit beings) and human masks. Manaia, which look like a bird with an almost circular beak, two arms and two legs, are mostly protective benevolent beings but may sometimes be malevolent.

At the rear of the waka was the vertical sternpost (taurapa). This consisted of spiral lattice work with two heavy ribs running from part way, down to the base. These ribs represented the two states of man - that of the gods, or man as a deceased ancestor (Ira Atua), and that of living man (Ira Tangata). The ribs were attached to two manaia. The one at the top was a spirit messenger from the god of immortal life, Te Hikioi, while the one at the bottom was a lizard, representative of death. Artwork CopyrightAll rights reservedArt CollectionLincoln University Art CollectionKeywordsMāoriRakatirataka | leadershipVehicles | wakaWater | waiRocks/stonesNew Zealand history | kōrero nehe

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Te Waka o Aoraki

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