My name is Joseph Tumoana, I am 37 years of age, of Ngati ruanui descent, Taranaki. I have been carving on and off for 5 years, with the last two years being full time. I am self taught, and enjoy carving stone the most, mainly Hinuera but also Oamaru Stone, I also carve bone and have had a play with wood. I have lived in Matamata with my partner and 3 of our 5 combined children, for the last two years. I have created my own process for finishing my products, making them unique.
“Te Taniwha”
My understanding of a Taniwha is they were protectors and guardians of
tradition, in both physical and spiritual realms, this piece is my
depiction of taniwha in its physical form, I wanted to give him a
presence that drew you in to touch and feel his awesome stature. This
piece was done at the Matamata stone symposium, taking 165 hours and 12
days to finish. I dreamt this piece from start to finish, many
sleepless nights! “Te Taniwha” is carved from Hinuera stone.More Artworks by Joe Tumoana
