If you're a Star Wars fan, then you'll know about the Disney+ show that tells the story of a son of a simple man trying to make his way in the universe, that has played out over the last few weeks.
Pretending you're a Jedi taking down droids or Sith lords is one thing. Watching the new Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett, led by New Zealand's own Temuera Morrison (Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rarua), is another. But being approached by Star Wars producers to carve a special taonga for the titular character is out of this world.
That's exactly what has happened for Tauranga street artist Graham Hoete, better known as Mr G on social media.
Evidently a Star Wars fan himself, Graham has shown how far his love for Star Wars goes when he prepared a mural of Boba Fett just before the premiere of the series on December 29 last year, shared via Instagram. It was even reposted by Temuera Morrison as well.
Fast forward to today, announced via his Facebook page, Mr G says he was approached and commissioned by
Star Wars
and Disney Plus to carve a special taonga for Morrison, which looks like a Māori carving of the character's helmet. Videos to be played out on the
Star Wars
Facebook page in the near future will show Mr G's process.
Graham Hoete (Ngaiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Awa) has made many building-sized murals of many icons both from New Zealand and abroad. A few of his art pieces include Tā Apirana Ngata, Sir Edmund Hillary and Māori filmmaker Merata Mita. Others include taking his artistic skills internationally, including music legend Prince featured in Prince's Minnesota hometown of Chanhassen and Kiwi basketballer Steven Adams in Oklahoma.
This news comes as The Book of Boba Fett reaches its season finale in its seventh episode, releasing for local fans late on Wednesday evening on Disney+. The series is a spinoff from another Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, where Morrison made his return to the Star Wars universe as Boba Fett in that show's second season.