Student and community members share how Jared Pere has taught the importance of carving the Polynesian way
Jared Pere, the master carver and foreman at the Polynesian Cultural Center, said the lifetime lesson he gives to his carving class is to have their visions of the object they are making. According to a student and community member who have worked with him, the seasoned and passionate mentor’s dedication to his craft has inspired them in their carving journey. Pere said he is not teaching students to carve, but rather he is drawing it out from them. He said one’s artistic passion is within themselves, and his role is to help students bring it to life.
Mentoring
Ricky Callanta, a senior majoring in hospitality and tourism management from the Philippines, said he enrolled in Pere’s carving class to show appreciation for the arts and culture of Polynesia. He said since he has been studying at BYUH for three years, it has helped him appreciate the beauty of each island through the things he learned in carving class. “As a first-time carver, I really did not know what to expect. I felt very intimidated at first because of how my classmates pick up tasks easily.”
Callanta said even though his first few experiences in his classes were not great, he slowly developed his pace and continued to improve quickly. He said, as part of the requirements, students need to make a final carving project. For this project, he said he is making a piece highlighting the Pacific diaspora, showcasing key elements of the cultures of Polynesia.
He said they use different kinds of chisels, depending on the type of project and the material being used. His class had him carve using traditional tools and techniques that had been passed down through time. Moreover, he said his technique was familiarizing himself with as few tools as possible in order to perfectly use each specific tool for a better outcome of work. He said he uses this technique to be able to finish his piece without diminishing or destroying it.
Becoming a master carver
Pere said he grew up in Hawaii because of his parents. He said he attended Kahuku High School and then attended school at BYU–Hawaii. He said he did not finish his degree at BYUH but later graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts in Maori visual art and design at Toihoukura Maori Visual Arts School in Gisborne, North Island, New Zealand.
He said his interest in carving came at the age of 8 years old. He said he was given a set of chisels by his uncle, Ollie McKay, who was one of the master carvers in the Aotearoa Village. He said because of his uncle’s influence on him, he carved a “Wheku,” which basically represents a human face, formed like a mask, depicting a Maori ancestor.
He said he started working at the PCC in 1978, where he applied most of his carving skills he learned as a young adult. He said when the previous master carver retired, he took his place and became a teacher to the students there.
He added how the materials chosen to carve with vary depending on what the people using them are trying to make. He said although the use of wood is the most common among workers, they also carve materials like metal, stones, bones, concrete and more. He said each piece has its own style and uses different tools to make it. “As time progressed, I was introduced to a variety of machines and tools to carve, but it all goes back to the basics I learned from my uncle. Although powerful tools are available at the PCC, I still encouraged my students to stick with the traditional way of carving,” he said.
Moreover, he said because of the diverse Polynesian islands represented around the PCC, he slowly learned different carving styles from each culture. He said making a specific Polynesian artifact takes time, and sometimes it takes up to a year to complete a single project.
Tommy Tsing, from Tahiti, is the manager for the carvers and mill shop at the PCC, and said he started working with Pere back when he was a student in 2004. He said he did not work with him right away because he was working as a security guard for the PCC around that time. “I have been carving all my life, and getting my education at BYUH is a way for me to discover more skills other than carving. So, going back to carving at that time was not my top priority,” Tsing said.
After being convinced by his friend, Tsing said he made the move to the carving department and worked with Pere. He said he felt the urgency to share his ideas and skills with the department, and he quickly left a two-week notice of the job transfer at his former job. He said his only condition upon his arrival at the department was to learn the Maori style of carving. He said he would stay as long as they shared their knowledge with each other, and both he and Pere agreed and started to work with each other.
Tsing said he sees Pere as having a great work ethic and truly caring about his craft. Tsing said Pere is very passionate and a perfectionist in what he does because he can spend time double-checking the small details of a piece they are creating. Tsing said Pere would take time examining the piece before he engaged with the next step. Besides Pere’s love and passion for the art of carving, Tsing added Pere also creates an environment of learning in his class and in their department.
Tsing said for all the projects a carver makes, they should envision the final piece in their minds and work on making that image in their mind a reality. He said this style was adopted in Pere’s current carving class, where he encourages his students to think of the end goal in mind. He said this teaching pattern from a master carver motivated him to do well in his craft and to increase his skills in it.
Aspirations
Tsing said the carving department at the PCC is the only group that have learned how to carve the majority of the Polynesian styles. He said because of the diversity available around the Center, it helped them easily learn techniques from other carvers who came from the different islands.
Callanta said an important lesson he learned from his carving class goes beyond the actual skills he learned. He said the best life lesson given to the students was to believe in themselves. He said with whatever skill or endeavor someone is doing, they should believe in ourselves and seek help if needed. He said help came in the form of his professor’s encouragement to his as they continue working on their carvings. “Aside from carving, he (Pere) would always encourage and remind us that we could do our projects. He also said to approach him any time we needed help or more information regarding our carving projects with him,” Callanta said.
Pere said what he loves about work is being able to make memorabilia for retirees from the Center. He said they often craft Polynesian style carvings for retiring employees as a gift and token for their devotion shown through their work at the PCC. He added how making these gifts for them creates more meaning for him, beyond just being the carver working on projects and assignments.
Pere said he will continue teaching students and new workers at the PCC, and is an instrument for students to discover a talent they have within themselves. He said seeing students enjoy and smile after doing their very best brought satisfaction and motivation for him to keep teaching, and sharing what he learned in his years will help preserve the legacy the PCC holds.