Overview
For centuries Māori have cherished pounamu (New Zealand jade or greenstone) above all other materials. Like other jade cultures around the world, Māori recognised this stone’s exceptional beauty and strength.
For Māori, pounamu is a symbol of cultural identity and a valued possession signifying mana (prestige and authority). Its longevity makes it an ideal medium for crafting oha tupuna (treasured ancestral mementos) to be handed down through the generations. Pounamu is also prized as a gift for sealing bonds of friendship, kinship, gratitude and peace. Generations of skilled artists have transformed this raw stone into precious tools, weapons, and adornments.
The exhibition Kura Pounamu, Treasured stone of Aotearoa New Zealand was shown at Te Papa from September 2009 to July 2011. It was then reworked for touring internationally and was shown at five venues through the People’s Republic of China from November 2012 to June 2014.