Rangi Hetet
Encyclopedia
Born 18th April 1937 to Charles Wilson Hetet and Lillian (nee Smallman).
Married Erenora Puketapu at Waiwhetu Marae 1960. Has 4 children, Lillian, Kataraina, Veranoa and Len
Te Rangi Hetet or Rangi Hetet is a Maori master-carver (tohunga whakairo
) of Ngāti Tuwharetoa
and Ngāti Maniapoto
descent. He first rose to recognition in New Zealand as one of the carvers of the meeting house at Waiwhetū
in the 1950s, during which he met Erenora Puketapu-Hetet
, who become his wife. His Grandmother, Rangimārie Hetet was a renowned weaver from Te Kuiti
, who passed her skills on to Erenora Puketapu-Hetet.
Hetet trained in fraternity of carvers known as Konae Aronui under legendary tohunga whakairo Tuhaka Kapua and later Hone Taiapa
at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute
. He had only two apprentices, including Sam Hauwaho.
As his wife did, Hetet sees his art as having a spiritual dimension:
Hetet's commissions have included a number of meeting houses, 4 waka taua (war canoes 60+ feet long) and a number of institutional pieces such as the one at LINZ
.
One of Hetet's 1989 sesquicentenary canoes was subsequently involved in a legal stoush.
He is still active and exhibiting in venues such as the Māori Art Market
Married Erenora Puketapu at Waiwhetu Marae 1960. Has 4 children, Lillian, Kataraina, Veranoa and Len
Te Rangi Hetet or Rangi Hetet is a Maori master-carver (tohunga whakairo
Whakairo
Toi Whakairo or just whakairo is a Māori traditional art of carving. in wood, stone or bone. Wood was formed into houses, fencepoles, containers, taiaha and tool-handles. Stone, preferably the very-hard pounamu was the chief material for tools of many kinds. Bone was used for fish hooks, needles...
) of Ngāti Tuwharetoa
Ngati Tuwharetoa
Ngāti Tūwharetoa is an iwi descended from Ngātoro-i-rangi, the priest who navigated the Arawa canoe to New Zealand. The Tūwharetoa region extends from Te Awa o te Atua at Matata across the central plateau of the North Island to the lands around Mount Tongariro and Lake Taupo.The iwi is identified...
and Ngāti Maniapoto
Ngati Maniapoto
Ngāti Maniapoto is an iwi based in the Waikato-Waitomo region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the Tainui confederation, the members of which trace their whakapapa back to people who arrived in New Zealand on the waka Tainui...
descent. He first rose to recognition in New Zealand as one of the carvers of the meeting house at Waiwhetū
Waiwhetu
Waiwhetū is a suburb of Lower Hutt, Wellington situated at the bottom of the North Island of New Zealand.Waiwhetū is largely built on land that set aside as a native reserve for the Te Āti Awa tribe in the 1840s. In the 1930s the land was compulsorily acquired by the government, with new homes...
in the 1950s, during which he met Erenora Puketapu-Hetet
Erenora Puketapu-Hetet
Erenora Puketapu-Hetet was a noted New Zealand weaver and author. She was a key figure in the Māori cultural renaissance and helped lift Māori weaving from a craft to an art. Of Te Atiawa descent, she grew up close to the marae in Waiwhetū near Wellington and moved to Te Kuiti after marrying Rangi...
, who become his wife. His Grandmother, Rangimārie Hetet was a renowned weaver from Te Kuiti
Te Kuiti
Te Kuiti is a small town in the south of the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the junction of State Highways 3 and 30 and on the North Island Main Trunk Railway, 80 km south of Hamilton....
, who passed her skills on to Erenora Puketapu-Hetet.
Hetet trained in fraternity of carvers known as Konae Aronui under legendary tohunga whakairo Tuhaka Kapua and later Hone Taiapa
Hone Taiapa
Hone Taiapa, also known as John Taiapa was a Māori wood carver and carpenter of Ngati Porou descent. He was the younger brother of master Māori carver, Pine Taiapa. The two brothers worked closely with politician Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata on reintroducing Māori sculpture to the country after...
at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute
New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute
The New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute opened in 1967 in Rotorua, New Zealand due to the impending threat of the loss of traditional Māori arts. In 1926 a Māori Arts and Crafts school had been established in Rotorua by Sir Apirana Ngata, and the new school continued the tradition in a...
. He had only two apprentices, including Sam Hauwaho.
As his wife did, Hetet sees his art as having a spiritual dimension:
- The carver Rangi Hetet says that the materials he uses are no simply materials—they have a spiritual nature, being descended from TaneTaneIn Māori mythology, Tāne is the god of forests and of birds, and the son of Ranginui and Papatuanuku, the sky father and the earth mother, who lie in a tight embrace...
. A carver should show respect for Tane by not carving in too flamboyantly a manner; he should, of course, inject his own mauri into the work, but should do so for the sake of the work, not his own sake. Hetet tries to use raw timber rather than milled timber so as to be able to show respect by following the nature of character of the timber.
Hetet's commissions have included a number of meeting houses, 4 waka taua (war canoes 60+ feet long) and a number of institutional pieces such as the one at LINZ
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
.
One of Hetet's 1989 sesquicentenary canoes was subsequently involved in a legal stoush.
He is still active and exhibiting in venues such as the Māori Art Market
MAORI ART MARKet
Māori Art Market is biennial event inspired by the Santa Fe Indian Market. The publicly funded event features art exhibitions, art sales, live art demonstrations, such as wood carving and tattooing, as well as presentations and master classes. The focus is on Māori traditional arts and Māori...