Moko Pounamu Hei Matau (Hook) Whale Bone Carving - Irihuka

A gorgeous Genuine Whale Bone Hei Matau (Hook) inset with Paua Shell. This piece has Unaunahi pattern carved on the lower portion and is carved from beautifully grained bone - this will be a treasured taonga.

Hei Matau(Fishhook) - Originally Maori have been fishermen. Their main food source was the sea, so a fishhook of high quality was an unbelievably valuable item to own. The hook became a symbol of prosperity, abundance, good health, power, authority and respect for the sea and its life in it. They also provide good luck and safety while traveling across water.

Whale Bone has always been a special medium for Māori artists, Whales are considered a taonga species, and represent abundance, richness and were regarded as chiefly animals. Some tribes see whales as the descendants of Tangaroa, the god of the ocean and 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.

Paua Shell – Abalone, our Paua shell is rich and deep in iridescent colours unique to New Zealand. Found all around the rocky shoreline coast but grows best in southern waters. Paua shell has been traditionally used by Maori to illuminate the eyes & features of carvings and artwork. While Paua sits within the abalone family, which is found in other parts of the world, namely, South America, Australia, Western North America, and Japan, our Paua's hidden, bright multi-coloured interior shell is only found in New Zealand.

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 bone - Ethically sourced from the Chatham Islands.

Hand Carved by Malcolm Hooper.

Size 51mm long x 34mm wide x 11mm 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.