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Pounamu Stylised Hei Matau 54mm by Alex Sands
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NZ Pounamu Hei Matau by Alex Sands
On a waxed nylon plaited cord
Adjustable length
54 x 25 x 6mm
About Hei Matau:
The Hei Matau (fish hook) finds its origins in Maori legend - the North Island of New Zealand was once a huge fish that was caught by the great mariner, Maui, using only a woven line and a hook made from the jawbone of his grandmother. The fish hook denotes the importance of fishing to the Maori and their strong relationship to Tangaroa, the god of the sea. Originally a hook used to catch fish, it slowly became ornamental, particularly when Maori began trading with Europeans.
About Pounamu:
No two pieces of pounamu are the same, and every stone is treated with the utmost respect by those who source and carve it.
Renowned for its beauty and strength, the rare stone is highly valued by both Maori and greater New Zealand. While generically known as greenstone or New Zealand jade, pounamu refers to the particular types of hard nephrite jade, found only in southern New Zealand.
