He has a Studio Certificate from Toihoukura, Te Tairawhiti Polytechnic, Gisborne. 1998 He has a Bachelor of Arts ‘Te Maunga Kura Toi’ in Whakairo Rakau (Māori wood carving) from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, under the tutelage of Dr Paakaariki Harrison and Professor Kereti Rautangata 2005. 

His greatest passions of the last 30 years has been the making, playing and education of Taonga Pūoro.
James has been part of a group named Haumanu which is dedicated to the revival, teaching, and sharing of these taonga (treasures), led by the late Hirini Melbourne, the late Joe Melcom, Richard Nunns, Brian Flintoff, Ranginui Keefe, the late Rangiiria Hadley, to name a few.

Over the years James has performed and run many workshops in kura kaupapa (Māori language schools), mainstream institutes and various other institutes and forums throughout the country and abroad.