Whanau roots run deep in carving

SPECIAL GIFT: Constable Nicholas Moorhouse (right) joined the Gisborne police ranks last year and as a graduation gift his parents presented him with a hand-crafted bone carving that has special significance. He is pictured with his father, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Moorhouse. Picture supplied

When new Gisborne constable Nicholas Moorhouse graduated from the Royal New Zealand Police College, he received a gift with a special and extensive whānau connection.

His father —Tairāwhiti Area Manager Investigations Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Moorhouse — and mother presented him with a bone sculpture especially handcrafted for him.

The carving has a fern leaf through the middle representing New Zealand Police and two fronds up either side symbolising a father and son while the base reflects new beginnings.

The significance of the bone carving to the Eastern police district do not stop there.

The carving was done by Andrew Little, the son of NZ Police Eastern district executive assistant Toni Little, who just happens to be the auntie of Det Snr Sgt Moorhouse's wife.

“It was special to be able to gift the carving to Nicholas and to have Toni's son carve it for him,” said Det Snr Sgt Moorhouse.

“Andrew spoke to me at length to find out exactly what we wanted to reflect in the carving and he came up with something magnificent.

“My wife and I will be forever grateful to him.

“Andrew has created a truly personal carving that spoke to the pride and welcome to the police whānau that I as a police officer and father wanted to give my son.”

Mr Little, who is based in the Manawatu, did his first bone carving while at Lindisfarne College in 1986. He went on to work for the carving business started by his late mentor and former police Sergeant Henry Perenara, a master carver who owned the Otarere Maori Arts and Crafts Gallery in Kuku, just out of Levin.

— Story courtesy of Police Ten One Magazine