For Jo’el Komene, his taonga puoro are a connection to the soul. A musician and carver with whakapapa to Nga Puhi, Tainui and Tapuika, he tells of his toi Māori journey; beginning with learning whakairo which fuelled a passion for Taonga Puoro, then furthering his practice with a masters in the kōauau. Now working in education and sharing his mātauranga, Jo’el is a key player in the revitalisation of te ao toi Māori.
You can find out more about Jo’el and his journey with Taonga Pūoro on the Haumanu Collective website.
You can also find all of the episodes of Oro Rua Podcast there too.