Ngākau Kōhatu – Heart of Stone

This taonga is a Niho, carved from fossilised wood found in Southland. The stone began its life as wood millions of years ago, slowly transformed through time and immense pressure into stone. That transformation holds deep meaning — it speaks of endurance, patience, and the strength that comes from change.

The fossilised wood is rich with contrast, blending deep dark browns with warm caramel tones. I’ve left one side of the piece natural so the grain of the original wood can still be seen, a reminder of what it once was. The other side I’ve carved into a smooth curve and polished to a mirror finish — a reflection of what it has become. You can see your face in it, as if it’s looking back across time.

Across the top, I’ve added a three-hole ringbolt lashing, finished with a deep brown 3-plait cord to match the warmth of the stone.

The Niho shape symbolises strength, determination, and connection to one’s inner courage. Ngākau Kōhatu represents transformation — from life to endurance, from wood to stone, from what was to what now is. It reminds me how the heart can become strong without losing its origins — still carrying the story of where it came from.

Carving this taonga felt like uncovering a memory written by the earth itself — a ngākau kōhatu, a heart of stone that still remembers the wood it once was.