We are proud to present a selection of Maori jewellery and other products that represent Maori Art and Maori Culture. There are a wide range of materials used including Pounamu or Maori Greenstone (Maori Jade), as it is sometimes referred to. The New Zealand Jade used for our Greenstone Jewellery comes from the South Island of New Zealand and is carved in small rural towns such as Picton in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. The Maori carvings include weapons that are mainly carved from New Zealand hardwood such as Kauri. Some of the Maori bone carvings and other items incorporate the popular Kowhaiwhai patterns in their design. The Maori people present the Maori language and culture in beautiful artistic designs. We also have a selection of Maori games which are ideal as a New Zealand online gift.
New Zealand Facts: Polynesians settlers arrived in New Zealand (Aotearoa) around the tenth century.
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Welcome to the Shop New Zealand MAORI ART and Craft Department. Here you will find a large selection of NZ made products representing MAORI CULTURE and heritage. There is no word for ART in Maori and WHAKAIRO is perhaps the closest equivalent. It has a basic meaning of design, or as a transitional verb, to ornament with a pattern.
We use some of the best Maori carvers for our MEW ZEALAND GREENSTONE and BONE CARVINGS. The Maori name for greenstone is POUNAMU and the main supply of this stone comes from the South Island of New Zealand. The carvings take many MAORI DESIGNS with special meaning to the MAORI PEOPLE. For example some pieces are carved with images of the TUATARA or MANAIA and many incorporate KORU DESIGNS. The Koru meaning comes from the small baby shoots of the PONGA ferns as they begin to grow. Most designs today incorporate a Koru somewhere within them to represent life in the carving. Double Koru can represent the bonding of two people.
The NEW ZEALAND BONE CARVING takes many forms. From MAORI TIKI and MAORI MANAIA to HEI MATAU – MAORI FISH HOOKS. The MAORI BONE CARVING is a form of MAORI ART WORK that has been developed by the NEW ZEALAND MAORI over hundreds of years. NEW ZEALAND JADE is commonly known as GREENSTONE and is made into beautiful JADE CARVINGS . The MAORI GREENSTONE TIKI and MAORI MASKS are very popular items. In addition to the JADE AND BONE CARVINGS there is also the WOOD CARVING . These WOODEN CRAFTS cover many products including a TIKI WOOD CARVING and MAORI WEAPONS . The MAORI TAIAHA is a form of Maori spear which is available in a couple of sizes. The KOTIATE and PATU are a type of MAORI WAR CLUB. Other MAORI WOOD CARVING includes a CARVED WOOD MASK and WAR CANOE. The WOODEN CANOE comes in several sizes.
The products in this department make excellent New Zealand Gifts or New Zealand Souvenirs.
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Art