Toki Tangiwai 1 Already Ancient Aotearoa

Tangiwai pounamu is a term we find given to a range of different serpentines across the country. To us (being from Murihiku in the deep South of Aotearoa) Tangiwai is the Bowenite found in Milford Sound. Its colours ranging from green to purple.

Tangiwai tells the story of separation, loss and resulting process of finding one's true self as Tamaāhua learns how his ambition to get what he wants effects those he loves.

Tangiwai is translucent and will show an image through it. Tangiwai is considerably softer than Nephrite and, as such was always used as ornamentation rather than tooling, often this ornamentation was in the form of earrings where light could easily pass through the hanging stone. We make a toki to work on us.

" If this soft stone turns to a tool, let it then do the soft work of holding light and memory. Let the waters of life be the adze that form our true course as we operate in a space of both self and social awareness. We seek to let in the light."