Koru Pebble – A Found Treasure Transformed

Every now and then, someone brings me a stone that already holds a story. This little piece of Kawakawa Pounamu was found by a customer while walking along a beach—a smooth, water-worn pebble shaped by time, tide, and the whenua of Aotearoa. When they placed it in my hand, they didn’t ask for it to be changed, just completed.

On one side, I’ve left the natural face of the pebble untouched—just as it was found. The back holds the marks of its journey, a record of its time with the river and sea. On the front, I carved a single koru. You can see a full view of the finished taonga, including its natural back and carved front, in the video below. The piece spins so you can appreciate all sides—its natural form and the design brought into it.

The koru is a traditional Māori symbol representing new life, growth, strength, and peace. It is inspired by the unfurling frond of the ponga fern and is often used to symbolise new beginnings and the endless cycle of life. In carving the koru into this stone, the intent was not to reshape it, but to bring out a meaning that was already within it.

It’s a small taonga, but one full of quiet beauty and personal significance. The customer found the stone; I simply added a voice to it.