A stunning Manaia (Guardian) carved from Auhunga Pounamu - this gorgeous pendant shows the wonderful hues and features that set this type of Greenstone apart and is a great example of the master carver's work - a fantastic taonga.
Manaia
is a mythological creature in Māori culture and is a common motif in Māori carving and jewellery. The Manaia is usually depicted as having the head of a bird and the tail of a fish and the body of a man, though it is sometimes depicted as a bird, a serpent, or a human figure in profile. The Manaia is traditionally believed to be the messenger between the earthly world of mortals and the domain of the spirits, and its symbol is used as a guardian against evil.
Auhunga- Genuine West Coast Greenstone from the Arahura River area, West Coast. Auhunga Pounamu is a pale opaque green colour. Resembling the Southern New Zealand mountains, its name translates to frosty, given as the intermediate of Inanga and Kawakawa.
Hand Carved by Peter Bishop
Size 97mm Long x 37mm wide x 7mm 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.
