Congo bean

In Maori tradition, an important journey is represented by the image of a canoe, which is called Waka.

When the first Oceanic people arrived in New Zealand, bringing with them everything they needed to survive, their great oceangoing canoes were dragged to the top of a nearby hill, and set alight, in great bonfires, for the people to feel released from their previous lives, be committed to the present, and not have any yearnings or even the possibility to return.

This carving was made soon after I returned from taking part in the Te Kupenga stonecarving symposium, which is held every two years in New Plymouth, New Zealand. It was a life-changing experience shared with some of the kindest and most humorous people alive, so this carving is also known as Waka Bean.