Mōhua (Bird) Pounamu Sculpture – Voice of Knowledge

Carved by Jackson Ropata from deep-green Kawakawa pounamu sourced on the West Coast), this sculpture elegantly captures the form of the mōhua (bird) yellowhead. Endangered yet treasured in Māori tradition, this small bird is a guardian of ancestral wisdom, its distinctive song carrying stories and teachings through the generations. Ropata’s contemporary design suggests folded wings and quiet alertness, while the sculpture’s base of South Island schist and locally gathered driftwood grounds it in its native landscape. A refined taonga ideal for graduations, research milestones, or celebrating guidance and new learning.