By Eleanor Gee

Tui’one Pulotu, a renown Hawaii based Tongan canoe builder and woodcarver and a Living Treasures of Hawaii [2] award recipient, is currently in Tonga to display his work in the Tanoa Hotel’s new art gallery.

The 80-year-old master carver was asked by hotel management to carve three tikis to be permanent fixtures.

“There are three tikis. There’s the tiki Tonga, tiki Hawaii, and tiki Tahiti that we’re working on. These tikis are the genuine ones representing each of these countries. They are not fake tikis, like you see made elsewhere,” Tui’one told Matangi Tonga today.

“These tikis are women gods, 'Otua Tonga, 'Otua Hawaii, and 'Otua Tahiti.”

To complete the project, Tui’one has been working with local woodcarver, Feinga Fanguna, from Liahona, for the last three weeks using red cedar for the carvings.

“The cedar is grown in Tonga and is very good for this type of work,” said Tui’one.

Feinga said when he was learning how to carve, he met Tui’one in 1998, who then took him under his wing.

“Every time Tui’one comes to Tonga, I always work with him.”

Wood carving skills

Feinga, who has been carving for 20 years also brought his sons to help them complete the tiki carvings this week and to learn from Tui’one.

“I brought them to learn, because this is their future. I have been able to earn a living from my talent. That’s the important thing.”

Tui’one has thought of passing on his skills to his children but he said he has one son who is interested in carving “but not all the way with it. He has his own life, I didn’t force it on to him. I don’t force my children to like carving.”

However, he is open to anyone who wants to learn but says young people don’t realize the work that goes into carving.

“There is a problem with young people wanting to learn carving because when they look at the work I do, it looks easy. But they don’t realize that I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’m experienced. When they try it, they realize it’s not easy and they don’t stick around.”

Tui’one grew up in Pangai, Ha’apai. He moved to Hawaii in 1960 when he was 21-years-old and was interested in learning the art of carving.

Some of his prominent work includes, principal builder of the Polynesian Cultural Center’s (PCC) Hawaiian Village which included pili grass thatching roofs (once a lost art form), crafted canoes from Polynesian societies, tiki carvings and other wood works displayed around at the PCC and around Hawaii. In 1964, he assisted in completing a duplicate Kamehameha statue displayed in Washington DC. In 1999, he was commissioned to build a 105-foot-long canoe ‘Mileniume’ for Tonga’s King Tupou IV and in 2000, he was commissioned to build a 57-foot-long Wa’a Kaulua Hawaiian canoes ‘Iosepa’ for Brigham Young University– Hawai'i's Jonathan Napela Center for Hawaiian Language and Culture.

In Tonga, Tui’one said he made the two tigers that are on display at the entrance of Tufumahina, the Royal residence.

“I made them in Hawaii and brought it over. I also made a chair for the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV in 1988. It was broken but I’ve fixed it up.”

The King’s chair will also be on display.

The art gallery at the Tanoa international Hotel is featuring artwork by prominent local and overseas Tongan artists and is opened to the public.