Te Mauri Onamata

Some stones carry the presence of deep time within them. I named this taonga Te Mauri Onamata, meaning the life force of ancient times. The fossil shells preserved in the stone are the remains of living creatures from long before people walked this land. Because of that, the piece speaks about continuity, endurance, and our connection to the deep history of the earth.

The Kōuma form rests close to the heart and symbolises protection, inner strength, and resilience. Traditionally representing the sternum or breastbone, it is a place of grounding and personal power. In this piece the form also reflects the idea that we carry the past within us, just as the ancient shells are held within the stone.

I carved this Kōuma from a piece of fossil mudstone filled with preserved shells. The host stone is a mid-grey colour, contrasted by brilliant white fossil shells across the surface. One striking feature is the cross-section of a spiral shell surrounded by several different rounded shell fossils.

The taonga is about 60mm across and finished with a seven-hole ringbolt lashing on a tan cord. The simple lashing frames the stone while allowing the fossil patterns to remain the focus.

Carving fossil stone always feels like revealing a story that has been waiting a very long time to be seen.