Te Toi Whakairo O Ngāti Kahungunu: the Carving Traditions of Ngāti Kahungunu

Abstract

MāORI CARVING has long been acknowledged as a distinctive and significant tradition in the art world. This study follows on from other research into Māori tribal carving styles and examines the carving traditions of Ngāti Kahungunu, a large tribe that extends from Wairoa in northern Hawke's Bay, through Hastings, and up to Wairarapa in the south. The research uses a multidisciplinary approach that examines the carving styles and traditions of this region. In particular, it explores the question of whether there is an identifiable 'Ngāti Kahungunu' carving style. The findings indicate that there are a number of identifiable sub-styles within the Ngāti Kahungunu carving tradition. These substyles are a reflection and product of the social and political worlds within Ngāti Kahungunu. The study also positions Ngāti Kahungunu carving in the context of other carving traditions in Aotearoa. This thesis examines and analyses a selection of whakairo (carvings) including wharenui (meeting houses), poutokomanawa (ancestral figures) and pou whakarae (stockade posts) provenanced to the Ngāti Kahungunu tribal region. Several welldocumented carvings localised in different areas of Ngāti Kahungunu are examined to see how tribal and sub-tribal identities are expressed and articulated through the carving artform. The lives of known Ngāti Kahungunu carvers are also examined in order to understand the relationship between carvers and art styles in Ngāti Kahungunu. A formal iconic analysis of the carvings is undertaken to ascertain the presence of unique and/or shared stylistic features and design elements. The information generated from this analysis will determine whether there is a distinctive Ngāti Kahungunu tribal carving style.