Canoe Carving At Evergreen College!

Maori visiting artist

Partnership between Te Waka Toi, Creative new Zealand and The Evergreen State College Longhouse Education and Cultural Center.

Takirirangi Smith is a master carver who is in his Ph. D completion phase. Smith’s focus is on the connections between the indigenous artworks as a means of reflections: knowledge and transformations. He has lectured internationally on the indigenous knowledge and the transformations.

Since the early 1980’s Takirirangi Smith has served in the role of Tohunga Whakairo (Master Carver), teaching and mentoring Maori carvers at Victoria University in Wellington; Wairarapa Polytechnic; and The Te Heru a Rangi Culture and Education Center, Masteron.

Mr. Smith is a multifaceted artist. He had lead the carving of 7 carved meeting houses, several entrances, gateways and facades in New Zealand. He is also an accomplished carver of canoes and has particular interest in reviving the Maori small sailing canoes.

Furthermore, he has knowledge and skill as a painter, performer in contemporary music as well as a composer. While at Evergreen, Mr. Smith, has completed several Maori masks in local wood species.

Takirirangi Smith and other accomplished native carvers will be carving a canoe where they can share shaping, bending and finishing techniques. The carving will take place on the west side of the Longhouse daily until June 8th. Don Jastad, Jastad Forest Resources in Puyallup, Washington and Chris Fry nwwood.com Tacoma, Washington, provided the Western Red Cedar log. The Native Carvers joining Takirirangi Smith are: John Smith (Skokomish), Eddie Green (Skokomish), Andrea Wilbur-Sigo (Squaxin Island), Steve Sigo (Squaxin Island), Pete Peterson, Sr. (Skokomish), Bear O’Lague (Quinault), Bruce Cook (Haida), Meleno Lovato (Apache, Navajo).