I’m Campbell Potter, a New Zealander of European descent living in Christchurch. I’ve spent the last ten years learning to carve Pounamu, alongside my work as a teacher. These days, I carve full time from my small workshop at home. I do everything myself—from finding and cutting the stone to shaping, polishing, lashing, and photographing each piece. For me, carving is about connection. Each taonga I make carries meaning, whether it’s a story, a memory, or something to anchor a moment in time. I create taonga to be worn, gifted, and passed on.
This 50mm Roimata is carved from Marsden Flower Jade with rich green colour and golden flowering throughout. The base is fully rounded, giving the piece a smooth, flowing form. With a curved front and flat back, it’s suspended by a simple hole on a black cord — a timeless and meaningful taonga.
This 90mm taonga is carved from Marutea Pakohe, a dense and fine-grained form of argillite. Tapered at both ends with flowing curves, it’s lashed with a black spiral binding. The Roimata form symbolises healing, connection, and the release of emotion. This piece carries the grounded strength of Pakohe, treasured by Māori for generations as a tool and taonga stone.
A full-sized 36cm x 12cm mere carved from Kawakawa Pounamu from Hokitika. Bound with traditional muka cord. A powerful symbol of mana and leadership. Read the full story at: https://campbellcarving.co.nz/mere-pounamu-te-whakamana
Whanaunga is a set of two taonga — a Toki and a Roimata — carved from the same piece of deep green serpentine Pounamu from the Nelson area. Each is 60mm long, with a black lashing. Their shared origin symbolises enduring connection — two pieces that were one for countless years, now carrying that bond into the lives of those who wear them.
The niho, or tooth design, symbolises strength, protection, and determination — a reminder of resilience and the courage to face challenges. This Niho Kaha is carved from rich dark green Kawakawa Pounamu with a streak of the stone’s pale rind along one side. Measuring 85mm long, it features a three-hole ringbolt lashing in black with a four-braid cord.
This 90mm Inanga Pounamu niho, Niho Marino, features creamy green tones, pale feathering, and a subtle inner shimmer. Symbolising protection and strength, it’s finished with a three-hole ringbolt lashing in black and a four-braid cord.
A 60mm niho carved from dark Akaroa ōnewa basalt, featuring natural inclusions and a hidden hole lashing for a clean, uninterrupted front face. A taonga of strength and resilience.
This 55mm Niho, carved from South Westland Pounamu, symbolises strength, courage, and resilience. The design represents a predator’s tooth, inspiring the wearer to face challenges with determination. With its hidden hole and tan cord, this taonga connects you to the land and traditions of Aotearoa.
The Niho Taniwha symbolises strength, courage, and resilience. Inspired by the teeth of the taniwha, it represents the determination to face challenges and move forward with confidence.
This taonga is carved from Ōnewa basalt from Whakaraupō, Lyttelton Harbour. The 65mm piece has a slender, gently curved form reminiscent of a whale tooth and is finished with a four-hole ringbolt lashing on a harakeke-green cord.
This Niho Taniwha taonga is carved from stone sourced from Whakaraupō (Lyttelton Harbour). The stone is a deep dark grey with distinctive light brown and tan inclusions that create natural patterning through the surface. The carving is 70mm long and shaped with flowing opposing curves — the back curves inward while the front sweeps outward, creating a balanced and powerful form.
It is finished with a tan cord and a four-hole ring bolt lashing that complements the earthy tones within the stone.
The Niho Taniwha form symbolises strength, courage, and resilience. It represents the teeth of the taniwha and the determination to face challenges with confidence and resolve.
This taonga is carved from dark Ōnewa basalt from Whakaraupō, Lyttelton Harbour. It features a five-hole rainbow lashing across the top on a tan cord that complements the natural tones of the stone.
A niho taonga carved from agatised petrified wood, featuring a mirror-polished face of rich browns and translucent chalcedony, contrasted with natural fossil bark. A symbol of strength, protection, and transformation over time.
A stunning set of Marsden Flower Jade earrings, shaped like a naturally matching pair of small niho. These gem-quality Pounamu pieces were tumbled smooth to bring out their natural glow—rich green tones and golden flower-like patterning that speak to the living beauty of the stone. Their form and origin hold meaning beyond appearance, carrying the strength and protection of the niho shape and the deep connection that Pounamu brings.
This 75mm pākohe niho pendant symbolises strength, protection, and connection. The creamy stone glows softly in the light and is finished with a three-hole lashing. Niho shapes represent identity and courage, making this a taonga of quiet power and deep meaning.
This 70mm Roimata is carved from striped grey Pakohe sourced from the Takaka area. Tapered at both ends, it reflects the natural flow of emotion and healing. Pakohe is a stone of strength, endurance, and connection to tūpuna, and this piece honours that legacy. It’s finished with a black spiral lashing and ready to wear.
This 75mm pākohe niho pendant symbolises strength, protection, and connection. The creamy stone glows softly in the light and is finished with a three-hole lashing. Niho shapes represent identity and courage, making this a taonga of quiet power and deep meaning.
