This striking pendant celebrates the manaia, one of the most meaningful forms in Māori carving. Carved from pounamu with deep green tones and soft, light veining through the stone, the manaia’s body sweeps down in a graceful flowing curve, with an open koru at its heart. The head is set with a shimmering pāua eye, adding a flash of colour and life to the piece. The manaia is seen as a guardian and messenger between worlds, watching over the wearer and offering protection on life’s journey.
Generous in size and beautifully balanced, this pendant has real presence when worn and reveals new detail from every angle. It hangs from a plaited cord with a neatly bound finish, and the carver’s mark on the reverse is a sign of its authenticity. A meaningful taonga to wear every day or to gift for a milestone, a journey or a new beginning, it carries the spirit of Aotearoa with it.
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.
Kokopu/Te Tau Ihu- Greenstone from the Nelson Tasman region. Comes in many colour variations from light to dark browns, creamy whites, light blues, olive greens to yellow even golden. Also known as trout-stone named after the dark brown, olive green and yellowish markings found on the three species of native freshwater trout. The spotted textures and range of colour give this stone a diverse presence. by Marshall Johnston
Size 90mm long x 45mm wide 10mm 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.
