He Here — A Bond Between Two People
I carved this pounamu bracelet for a marriage proposal, bringing together two people’s heritage in a taonga to mark their commitment. I’ve named it He Here, meaning a bond or tie, reflecting the connection between them and the future they are choosing together.
The bracelet combines Viking-inspired interwoven detail, acknowledging her Northern German heritage, with pounamu representing his Māori heritage and connection to Aotearoa. The continuous pattern expresses their lives coming together, carrying her intentions of love, good fortune and happy new beginnings.
The small pounamu centrepiece measures 30 millimetres long. It is high-grade, very translucent stone, with beautiful colour revealed when the light passes through it. A pattern carved down the middle connects it visually with the four-strand braided cord, while sliding knots provide an adjustable fit.
Because he does not usually wear jewellery, I kept the design understated. The aim was to make something comfortable to wear, with personal meaning held in the stone, the pattern and the reason it was given.
I enjoyed working these ideas into a small taonga—a bracelet that acknowledges where they each come from and marks the life they want to build together.
