Jacques Ozika is a woodcarver from the Traput tribe.

It was while watching his maternal uncle that the artist discovered his passion for the material. He went on to obtain a diploma in carpentry and cabinetmaking, and trained in pyrography.

By joining the Nouméa sculptors' association, he shares the know-how of his peers.

He combines his daily work with tribal life, punctuated by work in the fields and fishing.

He works mainly with sandalwood and gaiac, which he shapes into totem poles, architraves and other objects. He cuts the wood a week before creating his work, always during the waning moon, when sap flows down to the roots. He then immerses the wood in the sea for a day, likening it to a sponge. The drying stage is essential for him, as it guarantees the sculpture's longevity.