Background
Harrison was born in Ruatoria, the eldest of 21 children.
Harrison was born in Ruatoria, the eldest of 21 children.
He was raised by his grandmother Materoa Reedy and attended Hiruhārama Native School. He was educated at Massey University and Auckland Teachers College.
He is regarded as one of New Zealand’s greatest carvers. Whilst attending Te Aute College, Harrison was introduced to carving by master carver, Pine Taiapa who became a lifelong influence. Ranginui Walker writes that Harrison possessed "immense knowledge about the traditional arts of the carver, extending way beyond the actual physical arts to include its most ancient aspects - the symbolism contained in Māori art - to its role in transmitting old tribal history".
Harrison wrote, taught and researched the art of Māori carving.
Harrison was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Auckland in 1991. In 2002, Harrison was named as the leader of the design team for Toi Iho / Māori Made mark for Creative New Zealand.
Harrison was named a living icon of New Zealand arts by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand in 2005. In 2008, a biography of Harrison written by Ranginui Walker, Tohunga Whakairo: Paki Harrison, The Story of a Master Carver was published by Penguin Books.