Contemporary stone carving in New Zealand has developed under three major influences. Firstly, the south pacific methods of hammer forming and flaking of basalt (the predominant hard stone throughout the Pacific) and its adaptation to the new stone resources in New Zealand which reached incredible expression in Maori tools and amulets made in pounamu (nephrite jade). Secondly, the European traditions of stone working from the neolithic period to contemporary sculpture. And thirdly, the Chinese, a culture where jade was greatly revered.

After nearly 200 years of the European colonisation the Maori skills of working hard stones such as jade, argillite, basalt, greywacke, and obsidian were largely lost as steel tools replaced stone. Carving of pounamu amulets such as tiki, pekapeka, manaia, hei matai by traditional methods had ceased. When the European craft renaissance of the twentieth century reached New Zealand, the first carvers to carve hard stones looked to the Maori artefacts in museums, the stone traditions of Europe and the sophisticated jades of the Chinese.

Out of these powerful influences, a New Zealand style and aesthetic has emerged. Strong and innovative design has been complemented by well-developed skills, and while the first carvers were self taught, in the past ten years courses in stone carving have been taught in most polytechnics.

New Zealand has wonderful stone resources, but careful management will be required to see that these materials are available for future generations.

John Edgar
Sculptor
2 October, 1998