What do different pounamu carvings mean?
Pounamu jewellery is typically carved into traditional Māori symbols. More than just a beautiful art form, pounamu can represent ancestors, connection with the natural world, or attributes such as strength, prosperity, love, and harmony.
What does my greenstone mean?
It is also called greenstone or New Zealand jade. It is treasured by Māori because: it is strong and beautiful. it is a sign of status or power. it is believed to be sacred.
What does a Toki greenstone represent?
Toki (Adze)
Worn as a symbol of strength, toki carries with it the closest of all connections to traditional Māori pounamu stone carving. With deep symbolism associated with mana and reverence, it can also mean wisdom, courage and bravery.
What does a Toki pounamu mean?
symbol of strength
A symbol of strength
Today, toki pounamu are often gifted as as a celebration of courage, determination, success, and bravery, as well as to link the past to the present with reverence and respect.
Can I wear pounamu if Im not Maori?
It is not considered culturally appropriate to wear someone else’s greenstone (pounamu) unless it has been formally gifted to you by way of ceremony.
What does a teardrop pounamu mean?
Wearing a Kuru, Roimata, or Tear Drop shaped pounamu pendant is about comfort and caring for people. It represents shared emotions, empathy, confidence, solidarity, reassurance. It is a symbol that connects with emotions and the heart. Kuru were traditionally worn as an earring.
Can you wear pounamu If you are not Māori?
It is not considered culturally appropriate to wear someone else’s greenstone (pounamu) unless it has been formally gifted to you by way of ceremony. This practice represents the handing over of spiritual and practical knowledge from our ancestors.
Does greenstone have to be gifted?
Maori believed greenstone had to be gifted.
She told us: “In Maori culture greenstone necklaces and artefacts were crafted into powerful traditional symbols, and gifted to the powerful, spiritual tribesmen.
Can you wear pounamu If you are not Maori?
What does the teardrop pounamu mean?
Meaning tears of sadness or grief, these are named for their teardrop shape, and are widely regarded as touchstones in healing and meditation. Roimata carvings are also believed to hold strong connections to the land. Sold out.
Do you need to bless pounamu?
Yes, all our pounamu is blessed in its raw form before the carving process begins. All our carvers handle each taonga with customary respect and carved with every possible care.
Should you wear a pounamu before gifting it?
Pounamu is the Te Reo Māori word for greenstone also known as jade. In Māori culture it’s considered taonga (treasure) and it is traditionally gifted rather than purchased by and for yourself. I learned from a friend that as part of tradition, you should try to wear it for at least twenty-four hours before gifting it.
What does double twist in pounamu mean?
The Double and Triple Twist depict two new shoots growing together – it represents the joining of cultures, the bonding of friendship for life. The design shows the joining of two people in love or friendship for eternity, so makes a wonderful wedding or friendship gift.
Do you have to be gifted pounamu?
And, we believe, herein lies the beginning of the modern-day concept that pounamu can not be bought for oneself but must be gifted – ‘homai o homai’. Because this is how all items were traded amongst pre-European Māori, as gifts given in continued reciprocity for previous gifts given.
Can I wear pounamu if Im not Māori?
Can you bless greenstone yourself?
We have heard stories of people blessing their own greenstone (or gifts for others) in streams or rivers that mean something to them, and by all accounts this is an acceptable practice which honours and respects past traditions.
What does the teardrop greenstone mean?
A traditional teardrop pendant which is known to the Maori of New Zealand as the Roimata. It is said to represent the flow of positive energy, healing, comfort and strength on your journey through life. Teardrop pendants are generally regarded as touchstones, ideal for meditation.
Does pounamu have to be gifted?
Can I take off my pounamu?
When pounamu is unearthed as a result of another permitted activity, such as gold mining or building developments it cannot be removed without consultation with and the approval of Te R nanga o Ng i Tahu and the appropriate Kaitiaki R nanga.
What happens if you wear someone elses pounamu?
So when a wearer passes that piece on to someone else, after many years of wear, they are in fact passing on a piece of themselves – the gift becomes amplified. Many years ago, when traditional time-consuming methods would have been used to carve, it might have taken a year or more to produce a greenstone taonga.