Te Ao Pounamu: Pounamu Care & Maintenance
Dive into the art of caring for your precious Pounamu. Learn how to maintain its beauty and significance for generations.
Whether you’ve recently received your first pounamu necklace or have cherished one for years, proper care is essential to maintain its beauty and integrity.
Over time, wear and tear can impact the cord or binding of your pounamu. We offer rebinds, repairs, and replacement cords to ensure your taonga remains wearable and cherished for generations.
Ben Brown answers the question that many people ask - how should you bless your pounamu?
A very common question that we get asked at Moko is whether it’s OK to buy pounamu for yourself.
Blessing pounamu is a hot topic of conversation when it comes to purchasing and gifting pounamu. We get asked a lot if we bless pounamu here at Moko, or whether it can be done online.
This tradition not just begins with Pounamu , but is an integral part of the Maori culture. Their connection with spirituality and the earth around them makes it sacred, which, throughout history has been used to seal bonds; whether for friendship, relationships, peace, or to show gratitude and thanks. The concept of gifting was central in the lives of Maori. It was a guiding principle and helped maintain the social ‘balance’ & "Mana" of individuals, communities and tribes. Greenstone is held in high regard as a taonga (treasure) within Maori culture. This is why pounamu carvings are considered a special and significant family heirloom. It is a strong and durable stone, so these carvings last for many generations, being gifted down the family line, as a true taonga (treasure). Many traditional items from history are still with the original family, having been passed down for many years. Alongside gifting within their tribes and families, pounamu was also historically used when tribal wars were over, signifying a gift that was to seal the peace treaty between the two tribes.
