Exhibitions
Bio
Ngahiwi Walker is a Māori wood carver known for his beautifully crafted wooden pou (pillars). His iwi (tribe) are Ngāti Porou in Tai Rāwhiti (the East Coast) of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Te Ika-a-Māui (North Island). Originally from Te Araroa in the Gisbourne Region, Ngahiwi is now based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Ngahiwi works mostly with macrocarpa and occasionally NZ tōtara. He hand-carves each piece, creating a charcoal effect with a blow torch and finishing with a bristled brush. Every pou tells a story in the carving and the moko (tattoo), some tales and memories passed down by elders, others speaking to the mana (spiritual energy/standing) of men and women and their position within the iwi (tribe) and hapu (community).
Ngahiwi began carving in 2003 to help someone he knew who had undergone a traumatic experience. He wanted to do something for them so he carved a pou.
The family was taken away by it and very grateful. My first carvings were gifts for family members whose lives had been affected in some way by death or birth. Since then, I have been carving stories that I remember from way back.
Ngahiwi’s work is in high demand, often carved on commission. Pieces that do come into the gallery are gratefully received as they contribute much to the wairua (spirit) of our space but they are rarely with us long.
