Hei Matau – Te Koru Tuarua
This taonga was carved as a wedding gift from a wahine to her tāne, a symbol of deep love, commitment, and the journey they are about to walk together. I’ve named it Te Koru Tuarua – “The Second Koru” – to represent not only the twin koru forms in the design but also the second beginning they now step into as husband and wife.
The piece is carved from pale green Inanga Pounamu with touches of Raukāraka orange that ripple across the surface, like sunlight on water. The colour shifts in the stone echo the way relationships grow and evolve, always moving, always changing, but grounded in something ancient and strong.
The design features two koru – one curling up the side, and the other forming the body of the hook itself. The koru is a symbol of new life, renewal, and growth. Here, it speaks to the life they will build together, the strength in unity, and the fertility not just of land and whānau, but of ideas, dreams, and shared hopes.
The Hei Matau, shaped like a fish hook, represents safe travel, connection to the sea, and strength. By incorporating the koru into its form, this taonga becomes a powerful expression of both protection and potential – a wish for abundance and balance in the life they are creating as a couple.
