Hei tiki (pendant)

Greenstone, or pounamu, was the hardest known material encountered by Māori in an otherwise biodegradable world of wood, feather, fiber, and bone. Handed down through generations, the stone is prized for its durability and subtle tonal qualities. Skilled carvers expertly shape greenstone to reveal tiki, incipient human figures that capture the vitality of new life. Hei tiki speak to genealogical principles, encapsulating ideas about cyclical time, growth, and the continuity of a lineage.