Wood Carving from the Marquesas Islands - The Land of Men

The Marquesan wood sculpters, known as tuhuna, are considered as the finest craftsmen in French Polynesia and their work of consistently high quality is much sought after. The preferred materials to make the wood sculptures are mainly the noble woods such as Oceania rosewood (Miro or Mi'o), Oceania walnut (tou) and Ironwood (aito) but the wood from the coconut tree (tumu ha'ari or tumu 'ehi) is also used. It is important to the Marquesan people to use wood from the islands because of its quality and also to follow the traditions of their ancestors. Typically, the craftsmen cultivate the trees in their own gardens, leaving it to dry for up to 10 years before treating it against pests and preparing it to be carved. New styles and techniques of wood carving emerged in the late 19th century due to the introduction of metal carving tools and craftsmen began to decorate and carve the full surface of the pieces with low-relief designs, similar to the tattoo designs seen on the Marquesan people. This was done to meet the increase in demand for their works exported to foreign countries throughout the world. Common objects include sculptural representations of Polynesian gods, humans and animals, and utilitarian items such as decorated bowls, paddles, and clubs.