Trobriand Island carver makes his mark in Japan
LAKE Moyabona, 28 from Okaiboma village in Trobriand Island, Milne Bay province is a very busy man.
Lake who lives at Hohola in the nation’s capital has until April 8 this year to carve traditional designs on a whole range of office furniture.
The furniture includes 20 chairs, three coffee tables, one conference table, an office desk, 11 lounge chairs, two sign boards, and 26 door signs.
At the time of writing he had completed designs on a conference table and eights chairs.
The designs mainly depict marine themes, waves, fish and canoes. Pearls are embedded into the designs, while a coating of varnish adds gloss to the timber.
It had taken him a week to complete this first lot. He will be hiring the help of four more carvers to help him carve the other furniture to meet the April deadline.
The furniture made from Kwila wood is produced by Pryde Furniture according to specification.
It is with much pride that Lake chips away at the furniture, long into the night, carving out the intricate designs of Trobriand folklore, a skill taught to him by his father and fore fathers.
Once complete the furniture will be shipped across to Japan to furnish the office of the Tuna Commission in Tokyo.
Lake will fly to Japan to ensure that the furniture is placed in their allocated places.
It will be his second trip to Japan. He first went there in September last year on a one-week trip sponsored by the National Fisheries Authority. (NFA)
The trip came about after a fish carving he made won first place in a competition run by the NFA. His win secured a contract for him to do decorative furniture for the Tuna Commission headquarters in Pohnpei district in Tokyo, Japan.
While there he visited the Tuna Commission office to see the architectural design of the building, the sizes of the conference room and commissioner’s office and various locations in the building where the decorative furniture is to be placed.
Lake was overwhelmed with the trip to Japan but it made him realise that there is a place for PNG art and designs on the international scene.
He is thankful to the NFA for giving him this opportunity of a lifetime to promote small scale carving on an international level. Lake sees this as a boost for PNG arts and craftspeople.
“It is difficult to survive as an artist in PNG. The Government is not really supporting arts in PNG. More should be done to support small scale art and craftspeople to tap into overseas markets and promote PNG art internationally,” Lake said.
Lake who previously worked in the insurance industry, left formal employment in 2001 to start up a small scale carving business.
It was not always easy going but he managed to support his wife and four children with his earnings.
He believes if one is committed to what one does, something good will come out of your efforts. This contract from the NFA is godsend.
Lake is proud of his Trobriand heritage, coming from a family of carvers, he says carving was a traditional skill he grew up with.
“It is a family tradition, the designs on this furniture depict Trobriand Island culture and heritage.
“I am proud that these designs will be on all this furniture in this building in Japan. Visitors there may ask about the designs, they will learn about PNG through the designs on this furniture,” he said.
For now Lake is working day and night, quietly chipping away, carving Trobriand designs onto furniture that will soon grace the offices of a building in Japan where high powered meetings take place about tuna, a marine resource equally as important to PNG as its art.
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