Post #290667 by Tamapoutini on Fri, Mar 9, 2007 2:08 AM

Hi all. A little more done on the BIIG guy, soon to be a BIIG gal...

Gman: Yep. Big. Hard going. Must...

JP: Cheers mate. Due to it's sheer size I am having to tackle it a little differently than usual. As I mentioned there were a few areas that I had to rough out with the handpiece because there just wasnt room around the grinding gear. Most areas are also requiring several tools/attacks to achieve what can often be got with a single stroke on a smaller piece. Big job.

Paip: The blank face; I was thinking that myself. As above, I am going about this one in a different order than usual & dont normally have the body carved so far in advance of establishing the face. Im not really sure why. The size? Ask the stone man... :D
Just a bit busy to attend the 2nd OOTR opening, glad it went down well. Museum visit sounds great. Have you been talking to S.S?

Tipua: Welcome, welcome. You ask some very good questions and may very well expose my not-knowingliness on your very first attempt...

Quote:
I've noticed that the majority of Hei-Tiki are of the big-head, squat-bodied, hands-on-thighs variety (like Tamapoutini's "Hei-Tiki wearin' a Tiki")usually hung by a hole bored into its head.
But there is also the long-bodied, smaller-head, one-hand-on-thigh-other-hand-on-heart variety too (like Tamapoutini's personal Hei-Tiki of dark pounamu), this one is usually hung from one of its bent arms.

Are there names to differentiate between the various positions of Hei-Tiki?

Yes, the majority are by far the first type you describe. I personally believe there are more of this type largely due to timing; they became valuable trade items when European visitors started coming here & the style/design developed by the simple conversion of a toki/adzehead (see further back in this thread for a bit more on that). The 'side-hanging' type was from an earlier period, as were an upright-but-straight-headed type. (the hand-on-the-heart is actually hand-on-throat & pertains to the highly regarded art of oratory/speaking)

Now the admission of not-knowingliness: Im sure there must be a name to differentiate these two main types but I dont know what they are and dont think Ive ever heard any term/s. :blush: Paipo..?

Dont be put off by me Tipua; some of the folks around here are actually quite knowledgable in their specialised subjects :lol:

BIIG, Soon-to-be Girl: ('ordinary-type'/straight-hanger)

Happy carving everyone!
Tama :)