Kura Pounamu is an exhibition presented by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu featuring more than 200 taonga pounamu. It tells the story of this most precious of stones, its significance for Māori, and its enduring value from ancient times until today.

The exhibition includes some very rare cultural taonga, including some 95 hei tiki, 20 mere, and four large pounamu touchstones, the largest of which, “Te Hurika”, weighs in at 170kg. The earliest pounamu pieces in the exhibition may be the toki, tools used for working wood. Some are thought to originate from early settlement times some 700-800 years ago, and replicate East Polynesian adze shapes.

Developed and presented by Te Papa and Ngāi Tahu.

Main image: Detail of pounamu kōhatu (boulder), kawakawa variety. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (ME024004)

Left image: Mere (hand weapon). Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (OL000070/1)