Te Roimata Manawaroa

I have named this taonga Te Roimata Manawaroa, meaning “the roimata of resilience”. Manawaroa speaks of endurance, patience and the inner strength needed to keep moving through difficult times. This name was chosen to recognise the strength of the mother who will wear it and the tragedy she has carried in her life.

Her daughter commissioned this roimata as a gift of support, wanting her mother to have something that represented both strength and resilience. The roimata is traditionally connected with sadness, healing and the release of emotion. It acknowledges that grief remains part of a person’s story, while also representing the strength found in continuing forward.

At five centimetres long, this is a delicate, slender and symmetrical piece, designed to reflect the elegance of the woman receiving it. A lot of time was spent selecting the right pounamu. The stone is a very light apple green, with beautiful pale yellow flower-like patterns running through its highly translucent body. These natural patterns bring softness and light to the taonga, reflecting the possibility of healing and new growth after loss.

The roimata is suspended from a single hole on a tan cord. The warm colour of the cord creates a simple backdrop that highlights the flowering patterns within the pounamu. The single-hole design also allows the taonga to be transferred onto a fine silver chain in the future.

It was meaningful to carve a taonga that holds both vulnerability and strength. Te Roimata Manawaroa does not try to hide the sadness that has shaped its wearer’s journey. Instead, it honours what she has endured and serves as a reminder of the resilience she continues to carry.