Bowenite (Tangiwai) – A softer, glassier type of greenstone. It’s related to nephrite but not quite the same.
Hapū – A sub-tribe or large family group within an iwi (tribe).
Hei tiki – A greenstone pendant shaped like a small human figure, often worn for protection or connection to ancestors.
Īnanga – Pale grey-green or bluish pounamu; soft and glowing like whitebait.
Kahurangi – Clear, light green pounamu; the most prized kind.
Karakia – A prayer or blessing said to show respect, often before carving or gifting pounamu.
Kaitiaki – Guardians or protectors. People or beings who care for something precious, like pounamu or the environment.
Kawakawa – Dark green pounamu with black spots; named after a healing plant.
Kōhatu – A general word for stone. Some were used in daily life; others in rituals or ceremonies.
Kōkopu – Speckled pounamu like a trout; can be brown, red, or blue.
Koru – A spiral shape based on the unfurling silver fern. Represents new life, growth, and peace.
Mana – Prestige, power, or respect. Someone or something with mana is seen as having strong personal or cultural value.
Manaia – A carved figure with the head of a bird, a human body, and tail of a fish. A symbol of protection.
Matau – A fishhook-shaped pendant. Symbolises safe travel and a strong connection to the sea.
Mauri – The life force or energy inside all living (and some non-living) things – pounamu is believed to have its own mauri.
Nephrite jade – The scientific name for pounamu – a tough stone formed deep underground by heat and pressure.
Ngāi Tahu – The largest iwi (tribe) of Te Waipounamu (South Island), and the legal guardians of all pounamu in that region.
Ngāti Waewae – A hapū of Ngāi Tahu, based at Arahura on Te Tai Poutini, the West Coast of the South Island. They are guardians of pounamu in that region.
Patu – A short club made from pounamu, used as a weapon.
Pounamu – Also called greenstone or nephrite jade. A tough and beautiful stone found mostly in the South Island of New Zealand. Pounamu is considered a taonga (treasure) by Māori.
Putiputi (Flower Jade) – Bright green pounamu with gold and orange patterns. One of the most colourful types.
Rau kūmara – A twist design, representing friendship, love, and unity between two people.
Raukaraka – Yellow, orange, and green pounamu; like the leaves of a karaka tree.
Roimata – A teardrop shape, often symbolising healing and connection to the land.
Serpentine – A mineral that can look like pounamu but isn’t as tough or valuable.
Taonga – A treasure; something very special or important, often passed down through generations.
Taonga tuku iho – A treasure that has been handed down from the ancestors.
Te Tai Poutini – The West Coast of the South Island; a place where much of the pounamu is found.
Te Waipounamu – The Māori name for the South Island. It means “the waters of greenstone.”
Tikanga – Cultural practices and values – the “right way” to do things in Māori culture.
Tohunga whakairo – A master carver; someone highly skilled in the traditional art of carving.
Toki – An adze or tool shaped like a chisel; made from pounamu and used for carving or building.
Totoweka – Deep green pounamu with red or black patches; named after the blood of the weka bird.
Waka – A canoe. Waka were traditionally carved from wood using tools made from pounamu.
Whakairo – To carve or the process of carving, often with special meaning or design.
Whakapapa – A person’s genealogy or family tree. It connects people to their ancestors, stories, and land.
