Porohita – Kotahitanga

This piece is named Kotahitanga, meaning unity and oneness. The Porohita, or circle form, symbolises the cycles of life — connection, balance, and the unbroken flow between people, generations, and the natural world. It represents completeness, a reminder that everything is part of a greater whole.

On the front, a single Koru flows across the entire face of the taonga — a symbol of new beginnings, growth, and harmony. The unfurling spiral speaks of life’s continual renewal, of returning to our roots even as we reach outward. On the back, a silver fern frond is etched delicately into the surface, representing resilience, strength, and identity — a symbol carried proudly as part of who we are in Aotearoa. Together, the koru and fern embody the kaupapa of Kotahitanga — growth and belonging woven together in unity.

Carved from Inanga Pounamu, this Porohita is 55mm wide and glows with a range of tones — deep, opaque greens blending into pale, soft greens from the rind, with the gentle translucency Inanga is known for. When light catches it just right, a shimmering pattern appears within the stone, like the iridescent plumage of the pīpīwharauroa, the shining cuckoo. This natural effect gives the taonga a life of its own, shifting and changing with every movement.

Creating Kotahitanga was a moment of calm reflection. The balance of form and meaning, of light and depth within the stone, felt perfectly aligned. It’s a taonga that speaks of unity — of being part of something greater, grounded yet ever evolving.