Ridge bound Koru Breastplate Pendant

The pendant has a single Koru.  It is 37mm high and 77mm long.  It is carved from pounamu we have collected from the Marsden Valley in the Paroa area just outside of Greymouth on the West Coast of the South Island.   It is the Putiputi Pounamu - The 'Marsden Flower Jade' and is called this due to the intense greens and unique golden, yellow, orange and creamy colours in the stone found in the Marsden Area. 

The Koru Pendant has an extremely strong, waxed nylon cord so the pendant can be worn ALL the time - even in any kind of water.  It is a special, round, hand platted, 4-plait cord.  The cord is adjustable by pinching the special knots between your thumb and finger and pulling.  

It also has the traditional ridge knot binding along the top.  This was one of the bindings used to attach the pounamu to wooden and bone handles to use as tools and weapons.

Pendant Meaning :  The Koru represents the new shoots of the fern plant opening so it symbolises growth, harmony and new beginnings.

It also represents the family as a whole, an individual person, an important event, time, place, accomplishment or achievement that has happened in your life.

They were traditionally tattooed on the body and carved in the main poles and panels in the Whare/house.  The Maori had an oral language.  They told their life story from the Koru's that had been carved and tattooed.  It is up to the person to tell the story of what the Koru represents.