The idea for this instrument came from considering the impact that colonization of New Zealand by the English had on Maori.
The Red Punch box signifies the English army with its red ensign. The dark walnut wood neck signifies the natural inhabitants of Aotearoa, the Maori.
The walnut wood neck is freely travelling on a horizontal line following the natural grain of the wood when all of a sudden the wood is then cut on a vertical trajectory and a coin representing the intrusion of Captain Cook cuts into the path of the wood grain, creating a visually different effect on the natural surroundings.
The coin was minted in Australia to commemorate the bicentenary of Cooks voyage to the South Pacific.
While I was crafting this piece, I met a woman whose husband had recently passed away and she was cleaning out his belongings.
Amongst his belongings she found what turned out to be a couple of beautiful gold coloured Les Paul 1980s pickups.
She told me he was a real guitar nut and she said he would have loved them to be part of this project. They did indeed fit perfectly.
SCALE LENGTH: 13” 330mm
ELECTRIC, RIGHT HANDED, 12 FRETTED SOPRANO UKULELE.
