Carving for Queen and Iwi: fourth-generation carver Renata te Wiata

Young Maori artists are currently being called to enter portraits of their tupuna, their ancestors in any media for the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award. The Award is hosted by Te Pukenga Whakaata the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in honour of the late Maori King. Artists have until March 20 to enter. One of the judges of the award is a young artist himself: a lead carver who holds responsibility for carrying forward the stories of the Tainui-Waikato people and the Kingitanga. He serves our new Maori Queen, Nga Wai hono i te po, and before her Kiingi Tuheitia. Renata Te Wiata (Waikato, Ngati Mahuta. Te Arawa, Ngati Kea, Ngati Tuara) is responsible for numerous carving projects big and small, but has also overseen multiple recent commercial builds for the iwi, like the grand new Te Arikinui Pullman Hotel at Auckland Airport and student centre and venue The Pa at the University of Waikato. Te Wiata is a fourth generation carver, training under his late father, Tohunga Whakairo, Inia Te Wiata the second, who also served the Maori King. His grandfather Inia Te Wiata was known both as a carver (carving the celebrated pou at New Zealand House in London) and opera singer.