In Māori tradition, the toki is a powerful symbol of strength. Originally an axe or adze, it became a ceremonial symbol of mana, courage and resilience. When I began seriously making jewellery nearly a decade ago, the toki was one of the first designs that became important to me.
My jewellery making was born in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Life was difficult for all of us then. Our home had been broken apart and continued to shake for years. Lives were literally destroyed.
For me, that time became a catalyst for changing everything, including what I chose to do with my life. I felt an undeniable calling to follow a creative path, and a huge part of that was discovering more about my own whakapapa and connecting with my Māori ancestors.
After travelling the world to visit the places I had come from, I was finally home and ready to understand the invisible part of that story. Much of that involved learning about Māori design. At that stage of life, as a single mum with a young child, starting a brand-new business and learning how to navigate a broken world, strength and resilience were not really optional, even when I did not feel particularly strong or courageous.
Fast forward to 2024 and 2025, when my life was turned upside down again, this time from the inside. By the middle of 2025, I simply could not create anymore. I put my business on hold and told the world I was taking a sabbatical, while quietly fighting the urge to burn the whole thing down.
It took until May 2026 to find a pathway out of that place and back to even considering creativity as part of my life. As I thought about making again, and being seen in public again, it seemed I could only begin with one design: my toki.
This time, I added a new element, mangōpare, the hammerhead shark. For Māori, the shark is a warrior and a fighter, a creature to be admired and emulated. It fights for its very life, and that felt exactly like what I had been doing.
Together, the toki and mangōpare told the story that had brought me to this place. They became a reminder that the darkest part of the night comes just before dawn.
I also knew I needed to change the way I worked as an artist. I had tied so much of my identity to my work that there was very little left for the Sonia who loves to travel, grow veges and learn new things. I had become a vehicle for other people’s creations, rather than making my own. I was completely tied to my studio.
So I chose to work in a medium that was new to me. Back in 2024, I had bought a 3D printer on a whim. Now that I understand more about how my brain works, it makes perfect sense, of course. At the time, I did not know how to build 3D designs or even how to print them. But what better way to prove to myself that I could still create beautiful and meaningful things than by choosing a medium I knew absolutely nothing about?
I still wanted handmade elements, but I no longer wanted to be a slave to my studio. I chose small-batch making over one-of-a-kind pieces. I design every piece from scratch, then test, evolve, refine and redesign. I print them myself and finish every single one by hand.
Each piece has its quirks, its small details that make it unique in the world. I intentionally choose every colour, the packaging is designed with care, and I bind every toki myself. There is still aroha in every piece I create.
For years, I did not really know what my favourite colour was. I was deep in the people-pleasing phase of my life, and it felt far too rebellious to have my own mind. That is a story for another day, perhaps.
But I have always been drawn to one very specific shade of purple. I call it magenta, others might call it fuchsia, but for me, it is the light at the top of the tallest mountain at dawn, or the last light of the day.Just last week, I found that exact colour in 3D filament and decided to make a toki just for me.
And you know what? I have worn it every day since. It sits beside my bed at night, and it is the first thing I put on in the morning. I had not realised quite how powerful my own colour could be.
I know that personal colour matters to other people too, and that got me thinking about offering a small number of custom colour pieces. It also made me realise there are other ways to share the strength of this design beyond jewellery.
When my magenta toki sits beside my bed, it holds my courage too. I began imagining larger toki for a home or garden, and smaller versions that can travel with you without needing to be worn. I have even started researching how this design might translate into CNC-machined native timber.
This past weekend, I printed the first mini and maxi tests, so there are new pieces coming.
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