CARVED MEMORIAL SHIELD

Chronicle (Levin), 13 August 1946, Page 2

CARVED MEMORIAL SHIELD

OTAKI FOOTBALL CLUB An exhibition of Maori art, the work of Ranginui Kingi Porece, is on display at the Wellington Public Library. The carvihgs were done with a half-inch chisel and a small pocket knife. The carver, who began work about 18t months ago, was compietely untrained in tne art. and relies for his knowledge on the subject on the work of AuguStus Hamilton and W. J. Philipps, of the Dominion Museum. ^ 1 Mr. Porete is a South Island Maori born in Otago. When he began the carvings he was employed at the Waingawa Freezing Works; near. Masterton. He worked at the carvings in his spare time. At the end of January he was relcased from the freezing works ^o that he could devote all his time to his art. "For this he thanks the Maori Tribunal through Mr. Kingi Tahiwi, who worked to secure his release. Mr. Porete is grateful tc the Labour Government for introducing the 40-hour Week, which gave him more leisure time to develop his traditional custom. Mr. Porete works in a cubicle measuring nine feet by nine ai Lower Hutt. When he. began hi carvings at Masterton he worked by candlelight with his rnde tools. All the carvings except a shielcl are copied from the work of Hamilton. The shield is his own ereation, in which he used the tradi tional manaia and ngututa figure.The carver has made the shield a: the Otaki Football Club Memorial. His next work is to be a sternpiece for a Maori canoe. This wil !be seven feet in length and will b; i iarved on both sides. Mr. Porete believes t.hat the olc . Vlaori masters cannot be made ti ive in qoncrete. In his work h ras endeavoured to preserve then I n wood, the material that the: 1 .■hcmselves used.