Carving Stories Into Clay With Stevei Houkāmau

Join Stevei for an 8-hour workshop, spanning across two days, where participants will hand-build and shape unique kakano (seeds). Together with Stevei, explore techniques to mark your kakano with your own whakapapa (genealogy) or stories. Stevei will also demonstrate her carving techniques and collaborate with each participant to transform their kakano into wearable taonga (treasures). Stevei Houkāmau anchors whakapapa at the core of her uku (clay) practice. Her creations, stretching beyond her personal narrative, interlace with the Māori heritage of craftsmanship, migration from te Moana nui a Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean), and spiritual connections with Atua (deities), exploring the profound link from Atua to tāngata (people).
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Attendee Requirements: Additional tools/ objects participants can bring: Small woodcut, carving tools (if they have them) Clay tools if they have them, kidneys etc Objects that make interesting patterns, markings, embossing Designs or references they may like to use.
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Stevei Houkāmau (Ngāti Porou, Te whānau-ā-Apanui) is an uku artist based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington Region. Working primarily with clay since 2011, Stevei's focus on uku stems from its ability to evoke ancestral and spiritual connections to the whenua. Her work explores the relationship between tāngata (people), tipuna (ancestors), and whenua (land), reflecting the vital relationship tangata whenua hold with the environment.

Stevei has exhibited and has works in collections both nationally and abroad. She has proudly represented Aotearoa at FESTPAC in Guahan and Various Indigenous Art Gatherings. Notably, Stevei was awarded the Kingii Tuheitia Portraiture Award for 2023 and most recently held a solo exhibition at Objectspace, Auckland.