David “dreadlocks” Maruariki the Carver

Last week we explored Davids passion for Cook Islands language, and how he’s building his children’s capacity to be able to speak the Reo.

This week we will explore his other passion one that he picked up at quiet a young age. I say young because carving takes a lot of skills and patience, and for a twelve-year-old to pick up especially when it’s something that’s not always in his everyday environment, its quiet remarkable.

One would think that David was the usual grandchild, brought up by the grandparents and basically got away with everything they wanted. I guess this would’ve been the case with him, but it wasn’t.

As the head of Avatiu, his grandfather Papa Tau, or Usee as he is well known has a very cheerful humorous personality. He is always around the rugby field with the boys, but David is always at home around his very humble grandmother Mama Utia. 

Young boys around the village David’s age are always around the rugby field keen to play at the earliest they can. While he wonders past the rugby field, he strolls down to Avatiu wharf and back to his grandmother at home. This is where he gets into drawing his, favourite past time at the time.

At twelve years old he had his first exposure to carving. Well accomplished carver in Rarotonga Mike Tavioni immediately captured Davids interest and the rest was history.

David carves log drums, bowls known as kumete in Rarotonga, 21^st birthday keys where he says the most challenging part is carving in the motifs. While some people provide their own preferences for their respective pieces, David often uses the “tikitiki tangata” as an outline or a frame around whatever goes onto the object.