Overview
These objects marry materials and forms valuable to Māori and Pākehā (European New Zealanders). Fashioned by Pākehā craftsmen around 1900, they reflect a desire to create ornaments with a distinctly New Zealand identity. Māori motifs and native flora feature throughout.
Pounamu (New Zealand greenstone) was as precious to Māori as gold was to Pākehā – sacred in fact. Its strength and beauty made it ideal for tools, weapons, and adornments. Pākehā, however, used pounamu primarily for decorative purposes.
Māori, on the other hand, knew of gold but didn’t search for or use it. This soft metal had no practical or cultural value for them.