Steve Gwaliasi (Bonz 'n' Stonz)

Hokitika pounamu studio offering authentic West Coast greenstone carvings, bone art, and handcrafted Māori-inspired jewellery.

- Offers workshops

''Born in the Solomon Islands, Steve Gwaliasi is a master carver whose journey weaves together the traditions of his Pacific heritage with the deep spiritual connection of pounamu (New Zealand greenstone).

Steve’s path to carving began in 1988, working on a gold claim in Aotearoa. As he unearthed pounamu boulders from the whenua (land), he felt an undeniable calling—one that led him away from mining and into the world of whakairo (carving). Drawing on both kastom (Solomon Islands traditions) and mātauranga Māori (ancestral knowledge), he founded Bonz N Stonz Carving Studio in 2000, creating a space where people from all walks of life could experience the art of carving firsthand.

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With each piece he shapes, Steve blends the wisdom of the Pacific with the spirit of Aotearoa, ensuring that every taonga (treasure) carries a story, a connection, and a piece of the heart.''