Stanley plans to carve famous figures

BY OLIVE SUKUN
STANLEY Emmanuel loves to carve figures of important people.
“I have been inspired by our country’s traditional carvings such as of houses and crocodiles. But I want to carve figures of pioneers and important people so when people see these figures, they will know the stories which I hope will motivate them to change the way they view society.”
Stanley, 35, from Enga and Koiari in Central, has been carvings for the past seven years. He worked as a security guard before helping his uncle at his farm in 15-Mile outside Port Moresby. He carved a “smoke” pipe, with a woman lying on the sand. He realised he could carve human figures.
“When my friends on the farm saw the smoke pipe, they were amazed and encouraged me to try out something big and different. So I carved Pope John Paul followed by Sir Michael Somare.”
He spends a lot of time and effort in carving which requires the right tools such as a saw, axe, chisel and blade. It takes him about a month to complete one.
“For a double model, it takes another five days because it’s quite complicated”
Last November, a couple from New Zealand who came to walk along the Kokoda Track bought two of his sculptures featuring the famous Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels for K1,000 each.
“Foreigners who come to walk the track ask for souvenirs like the ones I produce. But I don’t have a chainsaw that could make my job a lot easier. At the moment I only make my carvings out of the trees that have fallen which takes longer to chop with an axe.”
Stanley’s aim this year is to carve an image of Queen Elizabeth, Pacific Island leaders whose faces appear on their currencies.
“Carving or sculpturing pioneers or important figures for the people is really good because it reminds them to respect them.”
He carves using rosewood. His third sculpture of the Angels of War costs K2,000.
He hopes to use his skills to expand his small business and earn a living from it.