{"id":9316,"date":"2025-05-16T12:26:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T22:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/2025\/05\/art-sculpture-portrait-derry\/"},"modified":"2025-05-16T12:26:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T22:26:37","slug":"art-sculpture-portrait-derry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/2025\/05\/art-sculpture-portrait-derry\/","title":{"rendered":"Sacred Art of the Fenua: Derry Changuy, Marquesan Sculptor"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Meet Derry, a bone and wood sculptor who keeps Marquesan traditions alive and channels the <em data-start=\"141\" data-end=\"147\">mana<\/em> through each of his creations.<\/h2>\n<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-9316\" data-postid=\"9316\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-9316 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_9ikc160 tb_first tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_ttuq030 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_nnir056   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>R\u00e9daction :<\/strong> Maeva LAUTRET<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_3ldq930 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_zo5g931 first\">\n                    <!-- module video -->\n<div  class=\"module module-video tb_qr8n42 video-overlay  \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n                    <div class=\"video-wrap-outer\">\n            <div class=\"video-wrap tf_rel tf_overflow\">\n                                    <noscript><iframe data-no-script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_gtZ68iOUik?pip=1&#038;playsinline=1\" allow=\"accelerometer;encrypted-media;gyroscope;picture-in-picture;fullscreen\" class=\"tf_abs tf_w tf_h\"><\/iframe><\/noscript>\n                                <\/div>\n            <!-- \/video-wrap -->\n        <\/div>\n        <!-- \/video-wrap-outer -->\n            <\/div>\n<!-- module plain text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-plain-text tb_xwx362 \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" \r\n    width=\"267\" \r\n    height=\"476\" \r\n    src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_gtZ68iOUik\" \r\n    title=\"YouTube video player\" \r\n    frameborder=\"0\" \r\n    allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" \r\n    allowfullscreen \r\n    style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\">\r\n<\/iframe>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module plain text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_hxox662 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_fwen905 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_kfn0670   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>If you ever pass through Tahiti, there are encounters that stay with you. Derry is one of them. This sculptor and engraver from the Marquesas works bone and wood with a precision that commands respect\u2026 and with a lot of heart. His hands tell stories. They transmit. They carry within them what we call <b>mana<\/b> \u2014 that invisible energy connecting people, the land, the ancestors, and tradition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>I went to visit him at his home in Titioro.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3><b>A deeply rooted craftsmanship<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p>In Tahiti and Her Islands, sculpture is more than just art \u2014 it\u2019s a living memory. It has passed down through the ages, carved in wood, stone, bone, or mother-of-pearl. Every piece once served a purpose: to communicate with the gods, to tell a legend, to signify social rank, or simply to honor the sacred bond between man and nature.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Did you know there\u2019s a very rare volcanic stone that\u2019s also sculpted? It\u2019s called &#8220;flower stone&#8221; (or garnet phonolite), and it\u2019s found only on Ua Pou in the Marquesas, and in a few other very remote places in the world. A true mineral treasure.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3><b>Mana, symbols, and soul-infused materials<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p>Materials aren\u2019t chosen at random.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Toa wood (ironwood) symbolizes strength.<\/li>\r\n<li>Bone carries the memory of the ancestors.<\/li>\r\n<li>Mother-of-pearl reflects the lagoon\u2019s light.<\/li>\r\n<li>Pig or shark teeth, horn \u2014 all these materials give meaning to the jewelry they become.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>And what about the engraved motifs? Spirals, tiki figures, sacred lines\u2026 each design carries a message, a connection to the past, to the sacred, to nature. That\u2019s where mana comes to life.<\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_s9e3636 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_vcne440 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_663h066 image-top   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/P2-03-HIVA-OA-00392-527x377.png\" width=\"527\" height=\"377\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-6191\" title=\"P2 03 HIVA OA 00392\" alt=\"P2 03 HIVA OA 00392\">    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_uvqq507 last\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_1xws670 image-top   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/P2_03_Tahiti_DSC_0134_A\u00a9-Tahiti-Tourisme-529x374.png\" width=\"529\" height=\"374\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-6193\" title=\"P2_03_Tahiti_DSC_0134_\u00c2\u00a9 Tahiti Tourisme\" alt=\"P2_03_Tahiti_DSC_0134_\u00c2\u00a9 Tahiti Tourisme\">    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_k7lp016 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_o0im707 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_lx8q646   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><b>From Sacred Art to Everyday Objects<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p>In the past, sculptures adorned <i>marae<\/i> (temples), ceremonial paddles, weapons, status jewelry, and outrigger canoes\u2026 Each piece served as a spiritual vessel. Today, this art is also expressed through objects you can take with you: <i>umete<\/i> (wooden bowls), jewelry, tiki figures, lamps, and wall decorations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>When visiting the islands \u2014 whether it\u2019s Tahiti, Huahine, Raiatea, Taha\u2019a, Bora Bora, or Maupiti \u2014 don\u2019t miss the chance to stop by a local market or exhibition. You\u2019ll discover handmade pieces that embody the living soul of Polynesian culture.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><b>Passing on the Craft, Keeping History Alive<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p>Even today, this artistic tradition is very much alive, thanks to places like the Centre des M\u00e9tiers d\u2019Art in Papeete, where young Polynesians learn to sculpt, engrave, paint \u2014 guided by master artisans.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Artists like Derry give new voice to these ancestral skills. They don\u2019t merely imitate; they reinterpret with respect and humility. And in every gesture, in the depth of each piece, flows a power that can\u2019t be seen \u2014 but deeply felt: <i>mana<\/i>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>\ud83c\udf10 Discover more Polynesian craftsmanship on our ANOE website<br>\ud83d\udd17 See his creations on Facebook: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CreationsKeavau\">Cr\u00e9ations Keavau<\/a><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_qtkf640 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_xip6640 first\">\n                    <!-- module buttons -->\n<div  class=\"module module-buttons tb_gr35497 buttons-horizontal solid  \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"module-buttons-item tf_in_flx\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/anoetahiti\/videos\/684482311104800\" class=\"ui builder_button tf_in_flx tb_default_color\" >\n                                                Portrait Video                                        <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<!-- \/module buttons -->\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_36sj317 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_ck6i317 first\">\n                    <!-- module template_part -->\n<div  class=\"module module-layout-part tb_slwz394 \">\n    <div class=\"tb_layout_part_wrap tf_w\">\n<!--themify_builder_content-->\n    <div  class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-8780 themify_builder not_editable_builder in_the_loop\" data-postid=\"8780\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_oppq944 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_n5pk944 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_096r944 image-top   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ondulation-courte-orange.svg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-6588\" title=\"ondulation-courte-orange\" alt=\"ondulation-courte-orange\">    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image --><!-- module icon -->\n<div  class=\"module module-icon tb_nmwe944  large  icon_vertical \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"module-icon-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<em class=\"tf_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t style=\"color:#473a25\"\t\t\t\t\t><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-fas-circle-user\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-fas-circle-user\"><\/use><\/svg><\/em>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Written by : Maeva LAUTRET<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<!-- \/module icon -->\n<!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_v6cs944   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p data-start=\"158\" data-end=\"443\"><strong>About the author<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"158\" data-end=\"443\"><strong>Maeva LAUTRET\u00a0<\/strong>Driven by her love of words and a deep connection to the culture of <em data-start=\"183\" data-end=\"190\">Fenua<\/em>, Maeva writes meaningful, gentle, and authentic stories for <strong data-start=\"251\" data-end=\"270\">anoe-tahiti.com<\/strong>.<\/p><p data-start=\"273\" data-end=\"433\"><em data-start=\"273\" data-end=\"433\">&#8220;I love words that feel right words that resonate.\u00a0Telling beautiful stories means stirring emotions.\u00a0And emotion is the bridge between beauty and truth.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><p data-start=\"158\" data-end=\"443\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redsoyu.com\">REDSOYU<\/a> agency<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module template_part -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meet Derry Changuy, a Marquesan sculptor who carries on an ancestral art form infused with mana. In Tahiti, sculpture is more than a craft \u2014 it is a living transmission of Polynesian culture and sacred symbols.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[312,103,84,80],"tags":[82,375,198,347],"class_list":["post-9316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-en-2","category-see","category-tahiti-en","category-the-islands-of-tahiti","tag-culture-en","tag-sculpture-en","tag-tahiti-en","tag-voir-en","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"aioseo_notices":[],"builder_content":"<p><strong>R\u00e9daction :<\/strong> Maeva LAUTRET<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" \n width=\"267\" \n height=\"476\" \n src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_gtZ68iOUik\" \n title=\"YouTube video player\" \n frameborder=\"0\" \n allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" \n allowfullscreen \n style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; border: none;\">\n<\/iframe>\n<p>If you ever pass through Tahiti, there are encounters that stay with you. Derry is one of them. This sculptor and engraver from the Marquesas works bone and wood with a precision that commands respect\u2026 and with a lot of heart. His hands tell stories. They transmit. They carry within them what we call <b>mana<\/b> \u2014 that invisible energy connecting people, the land, the ancestors, and tradition.<\/p>\n<p>I went to visit him at his home in Titioro.<\/p>\n<h3><b>A deeply rooted craftsmanship<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>In Tahiti and Her Islands, sculpture is more than just art \u2014 it\u2019s a living memory. It has passed down through the ages, carved in wood, stone, bone, or mother-of-pearl. Every piece once served a purpose: to communicate with the gods, to tell a legend, to signify social rank, or simply to honor the sacred bond between man and nature.<\/p>\n<p>Did you know there\u2019s a very rare volcanic stone that\u2019s also sculpted? It\u2019s called \"flower stone\" (or garnet phonolite), and it\u2019s found only on Ua Pou in the Marquesas, and in a few other very remote places in the world. A true mineral treasure.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Mana, symbols, and soul-infused materials<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Materials aren\u2019t chosen at random.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Toa wood (ironwood) symbolizes strength.<\/li>\n<li>Bone carries the memory of the ancestors.<\/li>\n<li>Mother-of-pearl reflects the lagoon\u2019s light.<\/li>\n<li>Pig or shark teeth, horn \u2014 all these materials give meaning to the jewelry they become.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And what about the engraved motifs? Spirals, tiki figures, sacred lines\u2026 each design carries a message, a connection to the past, to the sacred, to nature. That\u2019s where mana comes to life.<\/p>\n<img src=\"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/P2-03-HIVA-OA-00392-527x377.png\" width=\"527\" height=\"377\" title=\"P2 03 HIVA OA 00392\" alt=\"P2 03 HIVA OA 00392\">\n<img src=\"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/P2_03_Tahiti_DSC_0134_A\u00a9-Tahiti-Tourisme-529x374.png\" width=\"529\" height=\"374\" title=\"P2_03_Tahiti_DSC_0134_\u00c2\u00a9 Tahiti Tourisme\" alt=\"P2_03_Tahiti_DSC_0134_\u00c2\u00a9 Tahiti Tourisme\">\n<p><b>From Sacred Art to Everyday Objects<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In the past, sculptures adorned <i>marae<\/i> (temples), ceremonial paddles, weapons, status jewelry, and outrigger canoes\u2026 Each piece served as a spiritual vessel. Today, this art is also expressed through objects you can take with you: <i>umete<\/i> (wooden bowls), jewelry, tiki figures, lamps, and wall decorations.<\/p>\n<p>When visiting the islands \u2014 whether it\u2019s Tahiti, Huahine, Raiatea, Taha\u2019a, Bora Bora, or Maupiti \u2014 don\u2019t miss the chance to stop by a local market or exhibition. You\u2019ll discover handmade pieces that embody the living soul of Polynesian culture.<\/p>\n<p><b>Passing on the Craft, Keeping History Alive<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Even today, this artistic tradition is very much alive, thanks to places like the Centre des M\u00e9tiers d\u2019Art in Papeete, where young Polynesians learn to sculpt, engrave, paint \u2014 guided by master artisans.<\/p>\n<p>Artists like Derry give new voice to these ancestral skills. They don\u2019t merely imitate; they reinterpret with respect and humility. And in every gesture, in the depth of each piece, flows a power that can\u2019t be seen \u2014 but deeply felt: <i>mana<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udf10 Discover more Polynesian craftsmanship on our ANOE website<br>\ud83d\udd17 See his creations on Facebook: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CreationsKeavau\">Cr\u00e9ations Keavau<\/a><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/anoetahiti\/videos\/684482311104800\" > Portrait Video <\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9316\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anoe-tahiti.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}