Tokerau Jim and his team are located on the Rarotonga´s main road between
the two villages of Matavera and Tupapa. They carve and sell finest mother of
pearl jewellery based on shells coming from the island of Manihiki or Penrhyn.

Born on Rarotonga Tokerau Jim started carving in `93 being 21 years old during
his 18 month stay on Suwarrow as caretaker and government worker. Time has
been so slow on this remote island that Tokerau had a closer look on the shells.

Today his works show a great knowledge in carving but in his early days tools
that could cope with the hard to cut shell material have been rare and seldom.

Photos Archi © cookislands.com /// Authors : Tokerau Jim, Archi - April 2006