Rangikaiamokura Wirihana Hetet ONZM (born 18 April 1937) is a Māori master carver (tohunga whakairo) of Ngāti Tuwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto descent.
Hetet was born in 1937 to Charles Wilson Hetet and Lillian (née Smallman). He married Erenora Puketapu at Waiwhetu Marae in 1960, and they have four children. Their daughter Veranoa Hetet is a notable weaver.
Hetet first rose to recognition in New Zealand as one of the carvers of the meeting house at Waiwhetū in the 1950s, [1] during which time he met Erenora Puketapu-Hetet, who become his wife. [2] His grandmother, Rangimārie Hetet was a renowned weaver from Te Kūiti, who passed her skills on to Erenora Puketapu-Hetet.
Hetet trained in the fraternity of carvers known as Konae Aronui under legendary tohunga whakairo Tuhaka Kapua and later Hōne Taiapa at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. [3] He had only two apprentices, including Sam Hauwaho. [4]
As his wife did, Hetet sees his art as having a spiritual dimension:
Hetet's commissions have included a number of meeting houses, four waka taua (war canoes 60+ feet long) [6] and a number of institutional pieces such as the one at LINZ. [7] [8] One of Hetet's 1989 sesquicentenary canoes was subsequently involved in a legal dispute. [9]
In the 2004 New Year Honours he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a Māori master carver. [10]
He is still active and exhibiting in venues such as the Māori Art Market. [11]
Six carvers were employed, namely Charles Tuarau in the planning stages, and later Hōne Taiapa as head carver, together with Ngata Ruru, James Ruru, Rangi Hetet and Charles Rutene.
When the marae was built in the 1950s, Erenora, who had graduated to weaving tukutuku panels, met and married Rangi Hetet, the master carver brought in to help with the job.
Sam Hauwaho is of Tuhoe and Te Aitanga a Hauiti descent.
The waka taua (war canoe) on the left is Te Aniwaniwa, and the one on the right is Te Raukura. They are the work of master carver Rangi Hetet and his assistants. The vessels are being prepared for their dawn launch onto Wellington Harbour in 1989.
This taonga was created by the tohunga whakairo (master carver) Rangi Hetet who is of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Maniapoto descent. Two of Rangi's daughters weaved the tukutuku (lattice work) that is part of this artwork.
Wellington City Council commissioned a 14.5-metre waka, Te Raukura, in 1989 for use in the city's sesquicentenary celebrations and it was carved under the supervision of Waiwhetu carver Rangi Hetet.
Rangikaiamokura Wirihana Hetet ONZM (born 18 April 1937) is a Māori master carver (tohunga whakairo) of Ngāti Tuwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto descent.
Hetet was born in 1937 to Charles Wilson Hetet and Lillian (née Smallman). He married Erenora Puketapu at Waiwhetu Marae in 1960, and they have four children. Their daughter Veranoa Hetet is a notable weaver.
Hetet first rose to recognition in New Zealand as one of the carvers of the meeting house at Waiwhetū in the 1950s, [1] during which time he met Erenora Puketapu-Hetet, who become his wife. [2] His grandmother, Rangimārie Hetet was a renowned weaver from Te Kūiti, who passed her skills on to Erenora Puketapu-Hetet.
Hetet trained in the fraternity of carvers known as Konae Aronui under legendary tohunga whakairo Tuhaka Kapua and later Hōne Taiapa at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. [3] He had only two apprentices, including Sam Hauwaho. [4]
As his wife did, Hetet sees his art as having a spiritual dimension:
Hetet's commissions have included a number of meeting houses, four waka taua (war canoes 60+ feet long) [6] and a number of institutional pieces such as the one at LINZ. [7] [8] One of Hetet's 1989 sesquicentenary canoes was subsequently involved in a legal dispute. [9]
In the 2004 New Year Honours he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a Māori master carver. [10]
He is still active and exhibiting in venues such as the Māori Art Market. [11]
Six carvers were employed, namely Charles Tuarau in the planning stages, and later Hōne Taiapa as head carver, together with Ngata Ruru, James Ruru, Rangi Hetet and Charles Rutene.
When the marae was built in the 1950s, Erenora, who had graduated to weaving tukutuku panels, met and married Rangi Hetet, the master carver brought in to help with the job.
Sam Hauwaho is of Tuhoe and Te Aitanga a Hauiti descent.
The waka taua (war canoe) on the left is Te Aniwaniwa, and the one on the right is Te Raukura. They are the work of master carver Rangi Hetet and his assistants. The vessels are being prepared for their dawn launch onto Wellington Harbour in 1989.
This taonga was created by the tohunga whakairo (master carver) Rangi Hetet who is of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Maniapoto descent. Two of Rangi's daughters weaved the tukutuku (lattice work) that is part of this artwork.
Wellington City Council commissioned a 14.5-metre waka, Te Raukura, in 1989 for use in the city's sesquicentenary celebrations and it was carved under the supervision of Waiwhetu carver Rangi Hetet.