Roimata – Aotearoa, The Long White Cloud

As I finished this Roimata Pendant, I was thinking about the focus feature of the healed fracture that gives this pendant such character.  Healed fractures like this can be known as flowers or clouds in the pounamu.  When reflecting on this it became obvious that this piece was already named, after the country it was created it in, Aotearoa – The Long White Cloud.

This piece has a sister pendant that was carved from the same piece of Pounamu, in fact they lay side by side until the were separated for carving.  You can see the sister piece Te Moana here.

To me the meaning of the Roimata shape is comfort, emotional connection, reassurance, and empathy. It could be given to someone to mark a significant occasion or to show someone that is going through a tough time that they are cared for.