Aotearoa New Zealand

MO TE IWI: Carving for the People is an intimate journey into the life of master carver Rangi Hetet. Taken out of school at age 17 by tribal elders to serve his apprenticeship, Rangi is one of the last traditional Māori carvers alive today who learned their craft in an era that straddled the ways of the old tohunga whakairo/master carvers and the modern world. The film reveals the interconnectedness of Māori arts, family and community and celebrates Rangi’s life of carving for the people.