Pounamu, also used in New Zealand English, in itself refers to two main types of green stone valued for carving: nephrite jade, classified by Māori as kawakawa, kahurangi, īnanga, and other names depending on colour; and translucent bowenite, a type of serpentine, known as tangiwai.

Traditional pounamu greenstone pendants necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and art based on Māori design. We also sell international jade.

Discover the meanings behind the different traditional Maori pounamu jade greenstone pendants and carvings. Shop online with Garth Wilson Jade.

Pounamu is a hard, highly valued stone mainly found as boulders. It is also called greenstone or New Zealand jade. It is treasured by Māori because: it is believed to be sacred. Where is it found? It is only found in the South Island, so it is very important to the tribe there, Ngāi Tahu. The boulders are often found in or near rivers.

Jun 16, 2010 · Discover four Maori necklaces and their meanings! I am completely hooked on Maori symbol necklaces. These pendants are commonly carved from bone and jade (greenstone or pounamu), sometimes attached to their cords with …

Mar 10, 2025 · Jade, called pounamu or greenstone in Aotearoa, has profoundly influenced Māori culture and New Zealand’s heritage for centuries. Renowned for its distinctive green hues and durability, pounamu is considered a taonga (treasure), often passed down through generations.

Maori symbols are shared across many New Zealand art forms (tattoo art and pounamu carving especially) and have symbolism or meaning that stems from their original use hundreds of years ago: to visually represent parts of the culture, belief system, and history of Maori.

I’ve heard greenstone is the term Captain Cook used to describe Maori Jade carvings. It’s a term that is only used in New Zealand/Australia and can be confusing in nature as we have a lot of “green” stones.

New Zealand jade is a gemmological term that emphasises the similarity of the stone to overseas jade. Māori people recognised four main types of pounamu, identifying their colour and translucence: kawakawa, kahurangi, īnanga and tangiwai. The first three are nephrite, while tangiwai is bowenite.

Woven Stone Jade is more than your average jade-carving business. Rather than endlessly reproducing traditional Maori designs, we listen to the stone, follow the grain and form, and find the shape that best suits it.