Mo Te Iwi – Carving For The People

Mo Te Iwi: Carving for the People reveals the life of Tohunga Whakairo (Master Carver) Rangi Hetet, one of the last surviving carvers trained in the traditional mode of tuition – and a rare in-depth window into the world of whakairo. Rangi’s whānau (family) and apprentices and proponents of Toi Māori (Māori art) shed light on little known stories and experiences that celebrate the dedication and progressiveness of a carver whose passion and purpose is solely for the people. Rangi and his late wife Master Weaver Erenora Puketapu-Hetet were part of the contingency that accompanied the groundbreaking exhibition Te Māori to USA in 1984, which changed New Zealander’s perceptions and appreciation for Toi Māori. Coming full-circle, the film follows Rangi’s children over a two-year period as they prepare for a major retrospective exhibition of Rangi and Erenora’s work “Legacy: The Art of Rangi Hetet and Erenora Puketapu-Hetet” in Wellington – and tracks the creation of several unique artworks by his children and key apprentices towards the exhibition to honor the skills Rangi and Erenora imparted. Mo Te Iwi evokes universal feelings of inspiration through the potential of the arts to uplift people. At the heart of the film is a sense of homecoming and belonging, with whānau and community symbolizing the essence of what both inspires and upholds the arts. It’s the impassioned stories and shared pride across generations that leave the viewer basking in the awareness that these precious art-forms and the traditions and knowledge in which they’re rooted will not only endure in the future, but also will continue to be at the forefront of innovation. (Hawaii International Film Festival)