Neke Moa

Name: Neke Moa
Iwi/Ethnicity: Ngāti Kahungunu/Māori
Ngāi Tahu/Kāi Tahu/Māori
Ngāti Porou/Māori
Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Māori
Date of birth: 1971
Place of birth: Devonport/Auckland (region)/New Zealand
Nationality: New Zealander
Biography: Working primarily with pounamu, shell and other locally sourced materials, Neke Moa’s practice as a jeweller and carver explores the whakapapa of materials, making and the role of body adornment in creating a sense of belonging to people and place.

Moa employs traditional techniques, such as hōanga (hand-held grinding stones), as well as uses electric machinery and diamond tools, and conceives of her practice as a spiritual continuation of a whakapapa that extends back to Te Ao Kōhatu (The Age of Stone).