While many carvers often discard small offcut pieces of pounamu during their carving process, Waiongana’s speciality is her careful consideration in distilling each offcut into a story of its own. Her process is a reflection of her philosophical outlook, requiring a certain perspective to see and, therefore, be able to amplify the essence in pieces that are commonly overlooked. Her works are grounded in connection and prioritise the importance of upholding the integrity of taonga.
“I create tāonga using off-cuts from master carvers. The unique personality of each off-cut is where I draw my inspiration from. It’s almost as if each piece is a tūpuna, directing and guiding my hands to bring out and accentuate the beauty that was always there.”
