Moko Pounamu Rei Puta Paraoa Genuine Whale Bone Carving - Taikorea

This finely hand-carved Rei Puta Whale Tooth pendant by master carver Owen Mapp features flowing, Unaunahi-like patterns that echo traditional Māori design. Each line is meticulously shaped to highlight the natural sheen and texture of the whale tooth. Bound with a woven cord, this work reflects Mapp’s distinctive style and his influential role in contemporary bone and ivory carving in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Rei Niho Paraoa- a traditional Māori pendant carved from Whale Tooth. Worn as a symbol of strength, leadership, and prestige, it was historically treasured by chiefs and skilled navigators. Each piece carries the natural beauty and mana of its material, making it a highly valued taonga in Māori culture.

Whale Bone has always been a special medium for Māori artists. Whales are considered a taonga species and represent abundance and richness. They were regarded as chiefly animals, with some tribes also regarding whales as the descendants of Tangaroa, the god of the ocean. Strandings are seen as gifts from Tangaroa and carving them is a way of honouring that gift. Whales possess a tapu (sacred) significance to Māori as both supernatural beings and as harbingers of personal change and spiritual growth.

Unaunahi- a pattern in te ao Māori, characterised by repeating crescent shapes or fish scales, signifies abundance, prosperity and health, particularly in relation to the ocean and its resources. It represents the connection between Māori and the sea, their reliance on it for sustenance, and their spiritual connection to Tangaroa, the god of the sea.

Genuine Whale Tooth

Size 77mm long x 34mm wide x 13mm thick

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.