Pounamu, New Zealand greenstone, is one of Aotearoa’s most treasured taonga. Discover where pounamu comes from, the different types and colours found in Te Waipounamu, the kōrero of Poutini and Waitaiki, and why this remarkable stone holds such deep cultural significance for Māori.

Pounamu: More Than Just Greenstone

There’s something about holding pounamu that feels different.

It has weight. It has warmth. And perhaps most importantly, it has a story.

For generations, pounamu has held a special place in te ao Māori, the Māori world. It has been shaped into tools, weapons, adornments and treasured heirlooms, carried through generations and exchanged to mark important relationships and occasions.

Today, pounamu is recognised around the world as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most distinctive treasures. But its significance reaches far beyond its beautiful green colour.

Pounamu is a taonga, a treasured possession. It can represent connection, ancestry, strength, identity and the stories we carry with us.

At Discoveries NZ, we’re fortunate to work alongside people who know and respect the craft of pounamu carving. So let’s take a closer look at this remarkable stone, where it comes from, the stories surrounding it, and why a small piece of pounamu can carry a very big meaning.

Where Does Pounamu Come From?

Pounamu is found naturally only in Te Waipounamu, the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The South Island has long been closely associated with pounamu. In fact, it was once known as Te Wāhi Pounamu, meaning “the place of pounamu”, before the name evolved into Te Wai Pounamu.

Much of the pounamu traditionally worked by Māori came from the West Coast, particularly around the Arahura and Taramakau rivers, with other deposits found further south and around the Wakatipu area. Tangiwai, a translucent form of bowenite, is associated particularly with Piopiotahi, Milford Sound.

And this stone has had quite a journey.

Pounamu formed deep within the earth through intense geological processes. Over enormous periods of time, geological movement lifted pounamu-bearing rock towards the surface. Rivers, glaciers and erosion then helped release pieces of stone from the surrounding rock, carrying them into riverbeds and towards the coast.

So when you hold a piece of pounamu, you’re holding something that has quite literally travelled through millions of years of Aotearoa’s geological story.

That’s pretty special.

Four Traditional Types of Pounamu

Māori traditionally recognised four main types of pounamu, based on characteristics such as colour and translucence:

Kawakawa

Usually a rich, deep green, kawakawa can range from lighter to darker shades and may contain distinctive darker markings.

Kahurangi

Kahurangi is known for its clear, vivid green appearance and is often highly translucent.

Īnanga

Named after the small whitebait fish, īnanga is generally pale green, sometimes with a soft, almost silvery appearance.

Tangiwai

Tangiwai is different from the other three. It is a translucent form of bowenite, rather than nephrite, and is particularly associated with Piopiotahi, Milford Sound.

The colours and patterns of pounamu can vary enormously, which is part of its appeal. Every piece has its own natural character, and skilled carvers work with the stone they have rather than trying to make every piece look exactly the same.

The Story of Poutini and Waitaiki

Pounamu has a rich place in Māori kōrero, meaning stories and narratives passed through generations.

One well-known tradition from Poutini Ngāi Tahu tells of Poutini, a taniwha associated with and guardian of pounamu, and Waitaiki, a beautiful woman who lived with her husband, Tamaāhua.

The story begins at Tūhua, now known as Mayor Island in the Bay of Plenty. Poutini saw Waitaiki bathing and carried her away, travelling south with Tamaāhua in pursuit.

Tamaāhua used karakia, traditional incantations, along with divination, to help track Poutini's journey. The pursuit eventually reached the Arahura River on the West Coast of Te Waipounamu.

Knowing Tamaāhua was close, Poutini transformed Waitaiki into pounamu and placed her in the riverbed near the junction of the Arahura River and the stream that came to be known as Waitaiki.

Tamaāhua arrived too late. He found his wife transformed into īnanga, a type of pounamu, and grieved before returning home. Poutini escaped to the sea and continued along the West Coast as a guardian of the stone.

The story is closely connected with the landscape itself. The Arahura and Waitaiki waterways are important places in the pounamu story, and the West Coast became known as Te Tai Poutini, the tides or coastline of Poutini.

It is important to remember that Māori traditions are not one single story shared identically by every iwi. There are different traditions and interpretations surrounding the origins and significance of pounamu. The Poutini and Waitaiki story is one particularly well-known tradition associated with Poutini Ngāi Tahu.

Why Is Pounamu So Special?

Pounamu is valued for its strength, durability and beauty, but its significance goes much deeper than its physical qualities.

For Ngāi Tahu, pounamu is a taonga of fundamental cultural, spiritual and ancestral importance. Natural-state pounamu within the Ngāi Tahu takiwā, or tribal area, is subject to specific ownership and management arrangements under the Ngāi Tahu (Pounamu Vesting) Act 1997. Papatipu Rūnanga, local tribal councils, hold important kaitiaki responsibilities, meaning responsibilities of guardianship, over pounamu within their areas.

Historically, pounamu was used for much more than jewellery.

It was fashioned into toki, or adzes, used for working wood, including canoe building. It was also made into chisels, gouges, knives and other tools, as well as weapons and adornments.

Some treasured pounamu objects became heirlooms. They could be given names, associated with important ancestors and events, and passed through generations. In this way, the object itself became part of a family's or community's history.

Pounamu has also played an important role in relationships and peace-making. Highly valued pounamu objects were sometimes exchanged as symbols of peace, and the concept of a tatau pounamu, or “greenstone door”, represented an agreement to close the door on conflict.

A Taonga With a Story to Tell

From its beginnings deep within the whenua, the land of Aotearoa, to the hands of generations of Māori carvers, pounamu has travelled a remarkable journey.

It carries the story of the land it comes from, the people who have shaped it, and the relationships and occasions it has become part of. Its strength and beauty are only part of what makes it special.

Perhaps that is why pounamu continues to capture our imagination. Every piece is naturally different, every carving has its own character, and over time a treasured piece can become connected to memories, people and important moments in our lives.

Pounamu is not simply something beautiful to wear or display. It is a taonga with history, meaning and stories woven into its journey.

And there is still much more to discover.

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