Source: Radio New Zealand
Master Carver Rei Mihaere receieves his tohū for service to the community. Sarah Sparks
Master carver Rei Mihaere has been awarded the prestigious Hamilton Kirikiriroa Civic Award for over 40 years of service to his community, marae and education.
Mihaere was honoured with a ceremony at the Hamilton Gardens on Monday after being nominated by three other community leaders.
He is kaumātua for Te Kōhao Health, Kirikiriroa Marae and the Tipu Ake school carving programme. The programme began at Hillcrest Primary School in 2022 before expanding to fourteen schools in the area with the goal of empowering ākonga Māori.
Te Kōhao Health managing director Lady Tureiti Moxon said Mihaere’s contribution to the city was immense.
“Through his carving programmes, cultural leadership, and unwavering service, he has uplifted whānau for generations. It couldn’t have happened to a better person, and we are thrilled that Hamilton City Council has honoured him in this way,” she said.
Born in Ōpōtiki in 1951, Mihaere was one of 15 children. Mihaere told RNZ his early life was spent on his whānau farm tending to animals and helping with other farm work.
“My upbringing began in a local community where the kōrero was ‘it takes a community to raise a child’. For us, it was an iwi that took the responsibility and we were always at the pā.
“It was vibrant with activities… the nannies would be weaving whāriki, kete, potai for harvesting time while the men would be maintaining the wharenui or wharekai, upgrading tepu, turu, and this was the time where the younger generations would be upskilling their carpentry and building skills.”
Mihaere said he started carving in 1980 after moving from Whanganui to Hamilton to work on the railways. He was soon approached by his whānaunga Wikuki Kingi, another master carver, to come to his home to carve.
“This was the beginning of my carving life under the kaupapa of Te Ranga Carving Kura, which stemmed from the tōhunga whakairo Piri Poutapu, who was Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu’ head carver.
“We had to return back to Tōrere to seek approval from mum and dad because these areas of Te Ao Māori were taputapu and Wikuki wanted to make sure that they felt I was going to be protected in this world of whakairo,” he said.
Master Carver Rei Mihaere Sarah Sparks
The art form of Whakairo, or carving, then became the “pinnacle” of his life, Mihaere said.
“Whatever we did in support of the many kaupapa at local marae, churches, schools, sporting events, if we needed to be there we would go without question.
“Carving was a pinnacle of my life, often ensuring that my immediate family, my wife Kathleen and son Anthony were looked after. Carving is a way of life that keeps one grounded and safe, it’s my therapy where I can switch off from the hustle and bustle of pressures of everyday life.”
Mihaere said there were still two Tipu Ake graduations scheduled before the end of the year.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
