A Whangārei woodturner is bowled over after a swamp kauri bowl he turned was given to US President Joe Biden by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

A kauri bowl made by Whangārei woodturner Len Dent, and then carved around the rim by Tauranga carver Thomas Hansen, is now in the White House after Ardern presented it to Biden on her recent visit to the US.

Dent, who has been woodturning for more than 20 years, was delighted that one of his works would now be gracing the White House and he hoped the Bidens enjoyed the bowl.

Dent sourced the kauri from Nelson Parker of Kaihu Kauri just north of Dargaville and Hansen carved the kowhaiwhai pattern on the top of the bowl.

The carved swamp kauri bowl, a merino scarf and two Swanndri dog jackets in green were gifted at the White House on May 31 as presents from Ardern – and New Zealand – to Biden and his wife, Dr Jill Biden.

The First Lady, who is a teacher, was also gifted a copy of an educational book, written by the mother of the New Zealand Education Minister Chris Hipkins. Also gifted was a pounamu waihaka for the President, a fighting club using stone sourced from the West Coast of the South Island.

The gifts were handed over at the first White House meeting between New Zealand and America’s leaders in eight years.

“I look forward to our conversation today. We have a lot to talk about. And I’m really,
really delighted to have you here,” the president said to Ardern.

She sat down for an hour-long meeting with the president that ran over time. That was a sign, she said, of the good relationship between the two countries.

Dent said he learned that his bowl was the one gifted to Biden last week, when he got a call from the retail manager at The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington.

”I make the bowls, often with a big rim so Thomas can put one of his wonderful carvings around the rim. The Te Papa gift shop stocks some of them, along with some of my bowls without the carving, and it seems the Prime Minster’s staff get things from the gift shop when they want to give gifts,” he said.

”One of them must have liked the bowl to have chosen it as a gift and I’m pretty happy that they did.”

Dent admitted he said ‘ that is effing fantastic”, while his wife Olive said ‘well done’ when they heard his bowl would adorn the White House.

”It’s not a bowl for use as such. It’s a decorative item that will look good where they want to place it.”

A spokesperson for Ardern said in regards to why the piece was chosen, the Prime
Minister wanted to ensure she gave a gift that was unique, and authentically represented New Zealand.

Dent, a retired medical laboratory scientist, hopes the publicity around the bowl will be good for business by highlighting his work.

After all, if it’s good enough for the President of the United States, it will appeal to anybody.