Wairua Designz specializes in handcrafted NZ Maori bone carvings, Greenstone (Pounamu/Jade) and unique handcrafted ceramics. We supply a high quality of products from skilled NZ artists.

My name  is Julie Williams I am the boss lady and owner of Wairua Designz. I am of  Tuwharetoa descent, Maori art has always been a passion of mine.

My Grandfather (koro) who whakapapa’s to the Ngai Tahu tribe, was a well known Maori carver and I remember as a child watching him work in his garden shed. That was his man cave a place he liked to go to create.

His name was Robert Douglas Henson, born 1906 in Taranaki, under the shadow of Mt. Egmont. His heritage included Scots and Maori blood, both of which were major influences in his life.

Apart from his family Robert had two great loves the sea with all its life and all things Maori. He took up carving later in life and studied seriously under a well known carver.

He held great respect for traditional carving and this can be seen in his own carvings that are expertly and perfectly carved. He studied and respected all the customs and traditions relating to the maori culture and educated himself in all areas.

Our jewellery is “Wearable Art” and our bone carvings are hand-carved by a family of skilled Maori/Pacific Island artists from Auckland, New Zealand. Kaponi,one of the carvers,started carving in 1997 when he was 13 years old. The carving skills and knowledge were handed down to him from an older member of the family.

The greenstone pieces have been hand carved by a well known Maori artist who resides in Hokitika in New Zealand’s South Island. He is a master carver, and has been carving greenstone for over 25 years using traditional carving methods.