Kaitiaki

Kaitiaki 16″x20″ oil, Abalone shell, 12k white gold and 23k yellow gold on hand cut bas-relief on wood.

Kaitiaki is the Maori term used for guardian. This is Troy’s interpretation of a Taniwha. In Maori mythology the Taniwha is a guardian that lives in the deep waters of the ocean and streams. The Taniwha is there to protect and to look after our environment, this is referred to as Kaitiakitanga. Troy believes that many years ago we all had ancestors that believed in protectors of nature because they knew the importance of nature to their survival. With the troubles we face today with world wide pollution and dying seas we need to reconsider this frame of mind and save our fragile planet by being conscious guardians.