A striking Rei Niho carving crafted from soft toned Inanga pounamu. The stone displays gentle green colouring with milky clouding and subtle natural variations that give the surface depth and individuality. Light moves softly through the edges of the stone, highlighting the smooth polish and organic character within the pounamu. The traditional whale tooth inspired form creates a strong, flowing silhouette, making this piece both elegant and powerful. A timeless taonga that beautifully showcases the calm, natural beauty of Inanga pounamu.
Rei Niho(Eye Tooth) carved from pounamu, maintains the beauty of the traditional form, symbolising the intimate connection between Maori and Tohorā. The mark of a high Chief was one who wore the Rei Niho (whale tooth pendant), as the teeth of the sperm whale (Paraoa) were highly prized because of their rarity. With actual whale teeth being such a rarity, it became common to fashion the tooth form from other materials such as this example created from Pounamu.
Inanga- Pounamu takes its name from a freshwater fish native to New Zealand. It is pale and often transparent, like the young of the Inanga fish. It is pearly white to grey green in colour, and ranges from translucent to quite opaque. It can change colour over time, developing a light olive tint as it ages and oxidises - Highly prized by the Māori and the desired material for making Mere and Patu.
Hand carved by Katene Campbell
Size 90mm long x 36mm 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.
