A stunning Turuturu handcrafted from a fabulous piece of South Westland Inanga Totoweka Pounamu. A wonderful sculpture to treasure for generations to come. This carving will be a fantastic taonga for a loved and respected whanau.
Ko te taura whiri, he whiri i te tangata. The woven cord is like the cord that connects people. - Māori proverb
Turuturu(weaving pegs) used by kairaranga (weavers) to hold their work in place while it is being woven and provide the appropriate mana for their art. The cloak is stretched between two turuturu anchored securely in the ground. As well as holding the weaving upright, the turuturu hold it the right height for the weaver, who sits in front of the work.
Turuturu are not only tools, but also often beautifully carved objects.
Rituals were part of the process of weaving. In former times, the right-hand peg of the pair was regarded as sacred, but the left was not.
Inanga- Pounamu takes its name from a freshwater fish native to New Zealand. It is pale and often transparent, like the young of the Inanga fish. It is pearly white to grey green in colour, and ranges from translucent to quite opaque. It can change colour over time, developing a light olive tint as it ages and oxidises - Highly prized by the Māori and the desired material for making Mere and Patu.
Totoweka- This stone is usually like the mid green Kawakawa variety but differs in that the spotting or streaks are red like blood. It is rare to find Totoweka in the Westland jade fields, but when a piece is discovered, it is highly cherished and sometimes becomes the show piece of the fossicker’s collection. Large deposits of Totoweka occur in the South Westland area. The name comes from toto (blood), weka (Native bush hen) or weka blood. The red iron oxide inclusions were likened to the colour of blood of the Weka. Authentically sourced from Hokiauau/Big Bay South Westland
Hand crafted by Dean Hetherington
Sculpture Size 610mm long approx. x 38mm wide x 30mm thick
This will be the exact piece you will receive in the photos, there may be a slight degree of colour variation based on different computer or device screen resolutions that you are viewing from.
