Ngā Tapuwae — The Footsteps

This set of taonga was made for a husband and wife from a striking piece of Kawakawa Pounamu. The stone has incredible swirling character, deep greens with complex patterns that hold your attention the longer you look. The first piece was commissioned by the husband to celebrate a major personal milestone: 500 voluntary trail building sessions at the local mountain bike park. That level of commitment and service to the community deserves recognition, and I was honoured to create a 65mm Toki to mark the moment.

As we worked through the design and selected the stone, he realised how meaningful it would be to include his wife in the taonga too. So from the same slice of Pounamu, I carved a 70mm Roimata pendant for her. This turned the project from a personal symbol of service into a shared connection between the couple. It was a simple but powerful way to acknowledge their bond and the support behind the scenes that made that kind of contribution possible.

The Toki represents strength, determination, and action—a fitting tribute to hundreds of hours spent shaping trails and building up the community. The Roimata is a symbol of empathy, healing, and connection—qualities that sit quietly but strongly in any good partnership.

The fact that both taonga came from the same stone connects them even more deeply. It was a privilege to turn this idea into something tangible they can both wear and carry with them.

I have named this set Ngā Tapuwae — “The Footsteps.” It symbolises the many steps taken on the trails, both literal and metaphorical, and the journey the couple walk together.