Carved by David Curtis, Te Ara Ora (The Path of Life) is a 55mm tuna porohita crafted from beautiful kawakawa pounamu. Intricately carved on both sides with pāua eyes, flowing koru-inspired fins, and a concealed suspension, it symbolises resilience, adaptability, and life’s continuous journey.
Te Here o te Whenua speaks of the bonds that connect us to one another and to the land beneath our feet. This matching set includes a 70mm Toki and an 80mm Kōuma carved from the same piece of Pounamu from the Whakatū region. The stone displays striking blue tones alongside earthy green rind from the outer edge of the original boulder. Finished with black lashings, the pair remains connected through the stone from which they came.
Carved by David Curtis, Te Kaitiaki is a beautifully detailed Manaia pendant measuring 90 mm long. Flowing in the shape of a roimata, the design forms an elegant bird’s head with finely carved spiral details creating the eye and sweeping beak. Finished with a traditional three-hole ring bolt lashing on a tan cord, this one-of-a-kind taonga symbolises protection, guidance, and the connection between the physical and spiritual worlds.
A 75mm niho carved from deep green Kawakawa Pounamu, revealing both polished stone and its natural rind. One side is smooth and finished, while the other holds the dark, oxidised skin of the stone, grounding the piece in its origins. The niho appears to emerge from the raw form itself, reflecting its name — a tooth born from the land. Bound with a hidden hole and black three-braid cord, this taonga carries strength shaped by whenua and the journey from raw stone to finished form.
Te Toka Pūmau is a connected set of taonga carved from a single cobble of Inanga Pounamu. The display stone forms the foundation of the set, while the Roimata and Toki were carved from the piece removed to create its base, permanently linking all three pieces through the same whakapapa of stone.
The display piece naturally resembles either a fern frond or a mountain range rising upward from the whenua. Rather than being shaped into that form, the natural contours of the cobble revealed it once the front face was polished. The Roimata and Toki both retain the natural rind on their backs, preserving the original surface of the stone while contrasting against the polished carved fronts. Together, the set represents grounding, connection, strength, and shared origins.
This taonga is carved from fine-grained Pākēho limestone, sourced from the Kaikōura coast, a stone traditionally used in Aotearoa for practical tools such as fishing lures. The natural pebble shape led the carving toward the form of a tōhora (whale), with a pāua shell eye set into the stone to bring the piece to life.
Hononga Tuku Iho celebrates connection carried across generations. This matching set includes an 80mm Roimata and an 80mm Toki, both carved from the same piece of deep green Kawakawa Pounamu. Sharing the same patterning and translucency, the two taonga remain connected through the stone from which they came. Finished with black lashings, they are a meaningful expression of connection between people, place, and whakapapa.
