INSTRUMENTS ARCHIVE

These are some of the instruments I have made since the first "Taonga Pūoro" Wananga at Onetahua Marae in 1994.

PUTATARA with Jade mouthpiece.
The shell is the native conch or large trumpet shell known as Awanui to the maori.

This fella was siting on my bench for a while when along came Peter the Austrian alphorn player who played it so beautifully and loved it so much that I finished the carving and now it's found it's home.
The 'mini' Putatara is a connection to his other pieces carved by me and it does fly.
The binding is plaited muka from the harekeke (flax) bush.

PUTATARA with Kowhai wood mouthpiece.
One of my favourite timbers!

The shell is a very nice Awanui conch or large trumpet shell .
The carvings are about the sea, there is a whale on the other side, an albatross on this, and the notched piece is a representation of a geneological staff and the search for family history.
The binding is again plaited muka fibre.

Being the first one I had carved I gifted it to Golden Bay locals, Chris and Jacinda Pomeroy on the occasion of their wedding.

PUREREHUA
This was the first jade Purerehua (Bullroarer) I ever made.

POROTITI
And this was my first jade Porotiti (Whizzer).

BIRD BONE KOAUAU
I had never been particularly inspired by bone until I started making bone Koauau, then I began to find many bird bones in my travels. Shown above are wing bones from (L to R) Swan, Shag, Gannet, Canada Goose (x2), Gannet and Swan.

Experimenting with a large number of different sizes and shapes gave me valuable insight into "tuning" the Koauau by balancing the diameter of the holes with the size of the instrument to achieve the clearest and fullest range of sounds.

KOAUAU
Wooden Koauau made from (L to R) Kowhai, Black Maire, Lignum vitae and Manuka.

KOAUAU
Some of the first ones I made from Soapstone that was found in Golden Bay's Cobb Valley.

NGURU
Soapstone Nose Flute made during the second Taonga Pūoro Wananga at Onetahua Marae.

KOAUAU
My first jade Koauau made by cutting the stone in half lengthwise, then hollowing out a taper and gluing the stone back together.
At 79 mm long, it really sings.

KOAUAU
My first Jade Koauau made by taking the core out of a single piece of stone.

KOAUAU
Sam made a Karanga Manu out of soapstone at the last Wananga at Onetahua Marae.
While up the river fishing one day he was creating all sorts of good noises so I decided to give him a Pounamu Koauau for his birthday.

KOAUAU
Volute Shells were used by the Maori to make Koauau in times past. The player's hand can block the opening to change the pitch - much like the mute on a trumpet.

KOAUAU
The Koauau above were made from the shell of a kind of New Zealand Sea Snail. I was amazed at the pattern hidden by their rough exterior. They make a lovely Koauau and can be end blown like a trumpet (at least Richard Nunns can.)

NGURU
These Nguru (Maori Nose Flutes) are made from the Tagua nut - the tropical "vegetable ivory nut". When you play a Koauau or Nguru, the vibration releases the smell of the wood. These smell like peanut butter.