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Tene Waitere, a large and important carved panel, historically…
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Description:
Tene Waitere, a large and important carved panel, historically part of the Geyser Observation Rotunda at Whakarewarewa. The standing ancestral male figure with naturalistic face and body and incised facial tattoo. Carved wheku head to the abdomen, with Rauponga carving to the shoulders. The legs with kowhaiwhai designs with further rauponga carving. The figure surmounts a wheku head with rauponga carved detailing. Height 260 cm. Width 60 cm. Provenance: This important figural panel and the following lot are two of the eight boards carved by Tene Waitere for the Geyser Observation Rotunda at Whakarewarewa. It was carved in 1903 and remained in situ until the fibre roof of the structure caught fire. The rotunda was then dismantled and the eight boards were offered for sale. This board and the following lot along with two other boards from the Rotunda were purchased by Reginald Smith. in 1931 Reginald Smith purchased the land at Te Wairoa and working with local iwi, began excavations on the site, soon after opening the Buried Village. This board together with the following lot has been on display at the Buried Village throughout its history, the Smith family have now chosen to retain two of the boards in the Museum collection and are offering this carved board and the following lot for auction. These are two of the most important Maori carvings to be offered by public auction in New Zealand. two of the carved boards from the rotunda are also held in the Museum of New Zealand: Te Papa Tongarewa. illustrated and referenced in Carved Histories: Rotorua ngati tarawhai Woodcarving by Roger Neich. P.220 and P.221
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Category:
Tribal: New Zealand Maori