Moko Pounamu Manaia NZ Genuine Marsden Flower Greenstone - Awatuna

A fabulous Manaia guardian handcrafted from a gorgeous piece of Marsden Pounamu. This Manaia carving is extremely special and would be an amazing gift for a very special person.

Manaia is a mythological creature in Māori culture and is a common motif in Māori carving and jewelry. 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.

Marsden Flower Pounamu from the Marsden, West Coast area. The centre of this stone is a highly translucent, light-ish green shade, free from dark spots and other flaws. One of the rarest varieties, held in high esteem by the Māori. The most prized Greenstone in New Zealand is Flower Jade, Greenstone with pale green or ochre clouds of colour. This distinctive patterning and colouring come from the outside rim or 'rind' of the greenstone boulders or stones where the surface has oxidised.

Carved by Ross Crump

Size 63mm long x 45mm wide

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.