Information about Te Wai Pounamu
Te Wai Pounamu is the Māori name for New Zealand's South Island which is also sometimes referred to as Te Waka a Maui (The canoe of Maui), referring to mythology.
Ngāi Tahu, the principal Māori iwi (tribe) of the southern region of New Zealand, utilised the very hard greenstone (jade) to make adzes and other implements, as well as ornaments. Particularly valued was a paler nephrite which the Māori called inanga, gathered in a remote area near what is now called the Dart Valley. Māori named the district wāhi pounamu, meaning "place of greenstone", and the South Island came to be called Te Wāhi Pounamu. This somehow evolved into Te Wai Pounamu which means "the water(s) of greenstone" but bears no relation to the original meaning.
Ngāi Tahu, the principal Māori iwi (tribe) of the southern region of New Zealand, utilised the very hard greenstone (jade) to make adzes and other implements, as well as ornaments. Particularly valued was a paler nephrite which the Māori called inanga, gathered in a remote area near what is now called the Dart Valley. Māori named the district wāhi pounamu, meaning "place of greenstone", and the South Island came to be called Te Wāhi Pounamu. This somehow evolved into Te Wai Pounamu which means "the water(s) of greenstone" but bears no relation to the original meaning.
References
- Evison, Harry C, "The Ngai Tahu Deeds, A Window on New Zealand History," (Canterbury University Press, [2006]). ISBN 1-877257-39-7
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Satellite view of South Island
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Satellite view of South Island
Geography
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Iwi (IPA: [iwi]) are the largest everyday social units in Māori society. Iwi means 'people' or 'folk'; in many ways its meaning is analogous to that of tribe or clan
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Pounamu (New Zealand greenstone) is a highly prized hard nephrite jade found in New Zealand and parts of Australia. It is composed of chlorite and epidote which makes the stone a mid-to-dark green colour.
Greenstone rocks are generally found in rivers.
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Greenstone rocks are generally found in rivers.
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Nephrite is a variety of the calcium and magnesium rich amphibole mineral actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The chemical formula for nephrite is Ca2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2.
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