Greenstone

My husband found a piece of greenstone I think. It is green with dark green lines on it. It is probably a normal stone but let me dream. Greenstone is the New Zealand name for jade and the Maori name is Pounamu. There are 4 main type; kawakawa, kaharangi, inanga and tangiwai. The Maori already used greenstone in pre European times for tools and for weapons because it is a very hard stone. They also use it for ornaments. Pounamu is a very special stone according to the Maori or as Barry Brailsford  says in 'The song of Waitaha':
"Pounamu is the sacred stone of this land. It is the core to the spirit of this land. Within the great rainbow of the planet, the colour of Aotearoa is green; the colour of healing. The stone of this land is Pounamu, which is often called greenstone. The spirit of this land is Aroha, or love, and the stone embodies that spirit. It is a very special stone. In Waitaha understanding, it is of the stars, Mere Pounamu, the star of many colours. Pounamu is not only green, it can be white, black, blue, green, light green, dark green, or golden. It has many, many colours. No matter what colour, its spirit is always the same. It is the stone of healing; it embodies the spirit of love. When we touch the stone, we touch into the stars, into the beginning of all. All that is, is of the stone, and the stone is all that is. The stone is of the beginning, it endures and is of the end. The stone is of the mountain that stands tall, that falls down into the river, is carried to the oceans, its boulders in the streams, t o finish up at the beaches as sand, to sink deep within the ocean, to be bedded down and become rock again, to be raised again in the future as mountains. So the song of the stone is an enduring one, of all ages. The spirit of Pounamu is the spirit of creation, the lore of the universe. The lore that drives the universe is love. That is the spirit of the stone."

                                                                                                                                                                  

In NZ you can buy beautifully crafted neck pendants from greenstone everywhere
They have a special meaning and I show you some of the most common The single, double or triple twist are eternity symbols. The single twist shows the joining of two people for eternity. Eventhough they move away from each other, their paths will cross again. It tells about the strength of bond, loyalty and love.
The double and triple twist have a similar meaning but refer to two people or cultures rather than individuals








The fishhook represents strength, prosperity and abundance It is also said to bring good luck and safety when travelling over water. The Hei Matau are also symbols of power and authority.








The Koru is seen as reaching towards the light, striving for perfection, encouraging new positive beginnings. It represents renewal and hope for the future and as such symbolises harmony and peace. The Maori people refer to the unfurling new shoot of the New Zealand fern as Koru.







Photo taken from www.silverfernz.com



The Hei tiki is a very ancient symbol. Some say that he came from the stars and was the first man. Tiki was respected as a teacher of all things and the wearer of this symbol is therefore seen to posses clarity of thought, loyalty, great inner knowledge and strength of character.
The Tiki is a good luck charm when worn and is also regarded as a fertility symbol.
Aroha Marja