A wonderful Ngarara/Mokomoko (Lizard) handcrafted from an incredible piece of Reef Inanga Pounamu, with the natural structure of the stone left raw on the underside. Lizards are important and significant to Māori and are steeped in cultural and spiritual importance.
Ngārara
are valued as a source of energy, life and mauri that has sustained the people and the land of Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai. They are respected because of their whakapapa; their genealogical and ecological relationships with the environment and people. They are of ancient origin, and we consider them our Turkana, or elder siblings. Ngārara are sensitive to changes in systems and are recognised as important Tohu or indicator species. They are considered tapu, as they are also recognised as a social mechanism of restriction in that they indicate a need for caution or convey messages of warning. Ngārara are the spiritual kaitiaki, or caretakers, or the people, the water and the land.
Inanga- Pounamu takes its name from a freshwater fish native to New Zealand. It is pale and often transparent, like the young of the Inanga fish. It is pearly white to grey green in colour, and ranges from translucent to quite opaque. It can change colour over time, developing a light olive tint as it ages and oxidises - Highly prized by the Māori and the desired material for making Mere and Patu.
Carved by Ross Crump & Kaleb Schad
Size 106mm long x 103mm wide x 52mm high approx.
This will be the exact piece you will receive in the photos, there may be a slight degree of colour variation based on different computer or device screen resolutions that you are viewing from.
