While Colin and I were helping for a week at a hostel in Franz Josef Glacier, we got to take part in a really neat experience. One of the people that worked with us at the hostel was a man named Joe. Joe is friendly, easy to talk with, open about his life; he is Maori and a master wood carver.
While we worked with him we told us many things about his culture and his work. We learned so much about New Zealand's history and the Maori beliefs and traditions.
Joe, or Hohepa (the name his people gave him) also works as the wood carver at the local gallery in town. He teaches wood carving classes a couple of nights a week, so we jumped at the chance to learn.
First, we were shown many designs and carvings that Joe had done. We were able to then design our own picture. We drew what we wanted on a flat board made of compressed wood. This wood is the easiest wood to carve.
We used a v-shaped chisel and a wooded paddle. The challenges were getting the cut deep, keeping the line straight and consistent, and the constant bending over to be at the correct angle. It was more difficult then I thought it would be, and my arms were sore the next couple of days.
Thoughtout the evening, Joe continued to teach us about his culture. The picture below is the beginnings of a small model of a waka. The waka is the canoe-like boat that the Maori use. Every single detail on the carving represent something: prayer for safety, generations of ancestors, the faces of their gods.
Joe's work, not ours. :)
It was a fun and educational evening. It was our last night at Franz Josef Glacier and it was the perfect way to end our time.
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