Te Maunga is about the challenges and opportunities we come across in life. It represents the ongoing pursuit of personal growth and achievement.
This was made as part of a larger award for a student at my school. The award is for ‘Outstanding the Outdoors’. As I am an outdoor education teacher this award means a lot. I was able to carve the pounamu for the trophy as well, and this pendant is made from the same piece and was given the recipient of the award for this year.
Pounamu, the treasured greenstone of New Zealand, holds deep spiritual and cultural significance. When carved into a cross, a timeless symbol of faith and spirituality, its power and beauty take on an even greater depth. I’d like to share my latest creation, a beautiful cross pendant carved from a rich, deep block of kawakawa pounamu….
The Ngākau Aroha set encapsulates the essence of affection and connection that is deeply rooted in the New Zealand Māori culture. From a single piece of kawa kawa Pounamu sourced from the Arahura River, these taonga – a three-centimeter heart and a five-centimeter circle with a double koru – are named to reflect the love…
There is something understated and powerful about wearing taonga in a formal setting. These cufflinks were carved for a tāne who wanted a connection to Pounamu that could be worn with a suit or dress shirt, carried into important moments, celebrations, and milestones in life. We spent a long time selecting the right piece of…
The heart is a strong symbol of love. This one even more so as it has the Chinese symbol for love carved into the surface. Also with a fern carved on the back to strengthen the links with Aotearoa. This is a gorgeous piece of kawakawa pounamu from the Kaniere stream area, that shows some…
This small hoe pendant, named Te Ara Mua, was carved as a 40th birthday gift, symbolising guidance, direction, and the ability to move forward with purpose. The hoe, or paddle, is a powerful symbol in te ao Māori. It speaks to the journey we each take through life, and our role in steering ourselves and…
This is a piece designed to celebrate womanhood. It was made for a special wahine. The ‘clouds’ or ‘flower’ in this piece of pounamu give it a depth of character that will always make this stand out as a one of kind. This is the slice of pounamu before all the work. You can see…
