MR. SMITH
Traditional Maori songs/Poetry Gathering at Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre 2007
Takirirangi Smith is a traditional Maori Master Carver or Tohunga Whakairo, as well as a tattoo artist, painter, teacher, singer, and composer. In New Zealand Smith has carved Maori meeting houses, entrances, gateways, canoes, and facades. He is also involved in the revival of sailing and carving small sailing canoes (1).
Smith has taught at leading universities around the world including Victoria University, Wellington (2), Wairarapa Polytechnic, Te Heru a Rangi Culture and Education Center, Masteron, and Evergreen State College, Olympia Washington(3). He has given lectures internationally on topics such as indigenous knowledge and transformation (4).