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Published: 2006-03-15 23:05:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 5869; Favourites: 213; Downloads: 238
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Isn't it about time I spent another 30 hours or so on a piece? Well I did it anyway.Hopefully I do justice to the Maori culture with this piece. A few notes: The war club she is holding is called a wahaika which translates to "mouth of the fish" I would guess that the reasoning behind the name is that the clubs were carved out of the jaw bone of a whale, though some are also made of wood or jade. Such weapons were reserved for warriors of high status. The figured carved on the back of the club would be either an ancestral figure or Tu Matuenga (the god of war).
The pendant around her neck is a hei tiki. Hei meaning suspended from the neck and tiki the first man.
In regards to her tattoos and the carved figure, both are heavily linked to ancestry and social status. So rather than stealing someones heritage I opted to create my own based on traditional maori designs. Moko or face tattoos were most often carved into the skin and as I mentioned before represent ancestry, social status, rank, marital status etc. Males of high status would eventually have thier whole face tattooed, females would usually just be tattooed on the chin and upper lip.
The Carved figures often represent revered ancestral figure though sometimes are made to represent gods. The eyes are inlaid with paua shells.
I guess I will stop at that. If you know that I have gotten any of this incorrect please let me know.
11x14 - acrylic paint, Micron pen, blue and black Pilot ballpoint pens
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Comments: 62
Ive only just come across this and gotta say this is some awesome work so mad props to you for what you have done and the thought you put into the design! Considering youre not even a maori or even a kiwi makes this piece even more impressive. Ive seen a lot of New Zealanders put together artwork that isnt as well thought out and presented as youve done so massive respect to you. At first glance I thought she looked like an interpretation of Hinemoa from the story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai. Have you done any recent works boss?
Respect.
TK
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I absolutely love this piece however I feel the need to point out, as a Maori woman currently in New Zealand, that no hei tiki should ever have a hole in its head.
I know that this is commonly done commercially but it's actually bordering on the line of offensive for some. The head is the most sacred part of the body and to put a hole in it is almost blasphemous, it's incredibly tapu. A hei tiki is traditionally strung by the holes that the actual carving creates, usually linked through the arm.
A random point also, I've never seen a traditional greenstone carving with a coloured thread, it's always been a natural woven thread with bone closures.
In saying all that though this really is a stunning piece!!
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I study anthropology, & I love art that deals with any non - Western culture. I can appreciate the detail that went into this. I had a jade hei tiki almost like the girl is wearing ( although I ordered it online ). Some Maori art looks very similar to Native American designs from the American NW, at least to me.
Needless to say, this is beautiful ! The Maori girl looks so petite & exotic, & the totem ( ? ) is very ornate. 
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Sorry I am so slow to reply. Much thanks. I did a lot of research on this piece, so it is nice when people notice.
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No problem.
This piece was one that stuck out to my view. I would LOVE to see that area of the globe someday.
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Hey bud, nice art......Like the carving in the backgound, as far as the patu(the club) goes, way ova done - but cool fantasy, and really the biggest thing bro - Maori woman neva had body tattoos like this, males yes - fems no. Fems would have the odd small brest piece to say about dead childred or husbands - slave markings on there calves, but normally only the chin Moko.
So other that confussing this chick - shes a hottie
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Awesome New Zealand Maori culture represent !
Nice artworks from the light
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AMAZING!shes beautiful..
you should definitely come over and get tattooed!
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this is gorgeous. at the moment im painting a maori subject painting for a friend of mine. and this has givin me alot of inspiration.
beautiful!
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Thanks. Glad to hear it.
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Love the intricate detail, especially on the statue.
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Fully agree. absolutely stunning.
I'm a (non-maori) new zealander, and the amount of effort you've put into the detail and research is highly commendable.
The fact that it's got colour makes it even more special.
Super, super job.
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this is an awsome piece! really is!
im trying to find a good Maori tattoo for myself thnking of drawing one.
im glad i happened apon this ^^
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Thats a pretty cool picture, I love it. Favourited!
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FantΓ‘stico, dibujas muy bien, me gusta la textura de tribales en el tiki. ademΓ‘s esta muy sensual!
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I'm from New Zealand. She's really cute. nice detail.
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Thats really cool, i live in NZ and all your info is really accurate, i love this piece of art even more because of that. you mostly get people who think NZ is part of australia and their facts are all wrong
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This is the first time Ive ever commented on anything. Yeah, interesting piece youve done there, your balance isnt to bad either tho she's holding the her her wahaika upsidedown. The Taniko on the korowai looks cool though and she is of course very pretty, nunui ngaa mihi ki a koe e te kaituhi....
Oh yes, paua looks good too
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Oh! upsidedown. Yeah that makes more sense, but bet you can still knock someone cold with it upside down. Very much thanks for the comment.
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LOL, no worries, Yep If youre good you use the 'ate' (pronounced artear but soften the r's) as well. Thats the bottom of the handle. Its kinda funny I dont think people understand how effective a weapon the patu is, probably just think its a club, but with any one of my own I could easily split skulls. BTW you have done a really good job on the head of the pou (pole) in the background. Um yeah I feel like a bigmouth now...
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Not at all. I am seriously interested in learning as much as I can about Maori culture, especially the art.
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Well If you got any questions fire away, Im a Maori Historian and I design Moko well more Kiri toi then moko. I really should stop being so lazy and post some of my work, have to get a new scanner
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Thanks I appreciate the offer. If I have any specific questions I will definately ask. Damn! if you lived closer I would just give you one of my extra scanners.
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Nah, Just a really big fan of Maori art.
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A great pic and an even greater tribute to a proud race
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I love being educated by you.
You should work more with merging your coloring and pen skills, it would be interesting to see what you come up with. This piece is great. the blue highlights added in her hair really makes things pop. Its subtle enough you can't really tell that its acually blue. (it is blue added right?)
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I just started experimenting with the combining of pen and color, though it was my friend's suggestion that prompted it. I was trying to decide whether to do this piece in pen or acrylic, because I like certain aspects of each. He said just do both.
I actually under painted the hair with black then went over that with pen. It makes the black richer, or so I found out. Then went over the pen with a touch of blue acrylic. So I would say the hint of blue can't take all the credit, the black under painting does it's share.
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Ah, I see. It's very much worth it to put all the time and effort into something you can feel really good about. I know theres all this argument over modern art and whats onsidered art and what isn't, but art is in the process. The maticulous time put in and the experimentation to find just the perfect result, everything done for a reason, can truly appericiate that. I love the blue highlights throught the piece, Cezanne is one of my favorites for his use of a beutiful emerald blue as highlights.
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that is just absolutely fucking gorgeous.
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Like the colour thats crept into your work. Nice to know a bit of background info too.
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Really good work, mate. Your interpretation is wonderful. Thanks for the detailed description, appreciate that. Very cool stuph.
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Gorgeous work, your style translates so well into the tribal motif
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I continue to be absolutely impressed with your work.
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awesome work my friend, its hard to make a muai* look good on her chin.... well to me at least....
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This is unbelievably beautiful. You know I can't comment any further until I point out the obvious: Wow! You used color! Heh. Love the pose and the compostion. Lovely work as always.
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Haha This may come as a shock, but I used to be a color fiend. That was all I did. I tried to mesh color with pen on this one.
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The thought and research you put into this is really amazing. Once again, great work! I wish I had something original to say
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you certainly have a great sense of design and I llove the way you drew here eyes
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