A special Taonga
A treasured possession
My husband’s most-treasured possession for 23 years was a pounamu taonga - necklace, presented to him when he left a teaching position in Porirua East when we moved back to the South Island after our first son was born. The school community which gave him the pounamu were poor by socioeconomic standards but rich in cultural identity, connection, and sense of family and community – whanāungatanga. That community remains in his heart and in mine – they were very, very special to us, and the pounamu necklace was hugely significant to him and to our whole whānau. Sadly, on a visit to Wellington last year, the taonga was lost. We all grieved for it and lived in hope that the finder would ensure it was returned.
Pounamu should be gifted, and so while my husband missed his necklace dearly, he did not want to just go and replace it – it would not be right for him to do this himself. To me though, he seemed so incomplete without it. A great friend of mine, connected with through a shared love of cycling, is the owner of Moko Pounamu, and I told him about our loss. He arranged for one of his great team of carvers to create a new taonga, reminiscent of my husband’s original one, yet unique and perfect in its own right. It is beautiful, carved to perfection in exquisite pounamu. He gifted the new pounamu taonga to my husband, and the look on his face when he received it was one of pure joy. I can’t even describe my gratitude to Deane and his team.
I’ve purchased a couple of taonga from Moko Pounamu and they are true treasures, and the perfect gift to people of significance to us. I could not recommend them highly enough.
Moko Pounamu Knowledge Library
According to tradition, pounamu was born from Papatūānuku. Her tears of sorrow and joy flowed into the rivers of Te Waipounamu (the South Island) after her separation from Ranginui (the Sky Father). These tears crystalised into pounamu, imbuing the stone with her mauri (life force) and mana (spiritual power).
Learn about the history of Pounamu and where it was discovered on the South Island of New Zealand - Te Waipounamu. This semi-precious stone is only found in the South Island, and most often in the rivers of the West Coast. Discover more about this taonga in our video series below.
