Pounamu – New Zealand Jade, Greenstone is the God stone used for hundreds of years by tribal Māori to create tools, weapons, carvings, and jewellery. Pounamu is a porous stone that absorbs your natural body oils, therefore Māori believe it carries a part of you with it. It is a tradition to pass your pounamu onto someone else, passing on your Mana (essence, spiritual power, respect). Following your helicopter flight through the Southern Alps, Garth and his wife, Jo, will welcome you to their studio. Garth carves greenstone that he has personally fossicked from the local rivers and mountainsides. You will hear how each stone and design has its own story. Watch Garth carve and feel the pounamu that his family found as tribal gatherers. By purchasing a pounamu Taonga (gift, treasure), you can connect with the carver, the river, the stone, and the design that is hidden within it. You may wish to purchase a custom-made piece, that is a link to your friends and family, bringing generations together.