Info

Stories ↓

How Māori Knowledge Is Safeguarding the Future of Aotearoa’s Jade

The coveted green gemstone is sourced through less-than-green methods in many parts of the world, such as Asia, where jade mining is widespread. But Aotearoa/New Zealand has taken a different, cleaner approach. Green Light takes a look at how the Government has worked with the indigenous Māori communities to ensure the country’s precious stock is treated with the respect it deserves.
By Roland Dupuy — May 2024

Abundantly found in Aotearoa/New Zealand’s rivers and rock, jade — otherwise known as greenstone, nephrite, or by its Māori name, pounamu — is a key symbol of the country’s national identity. It has particular spiritual importance for the indigenous Māori population, who have been carving it into jewelry and luck-bearing ornaments for hundreds of years. Such is its significance for Māori communities that Aotearoa’s South Island — where the vast majority of jade deposits are found — is known in Māori as Te Waipounamu, or ‘water and greenstone’.

The Hokitika Gorge, West Coast, New Zealand — Photo by Katie McBroom on Unsplash

“Ngāi Tahu are the Kaitiaki, or guardians, of pounamu. All pounamu is sourced from the South Island, of which Ngāi Tahu is the principle iwi or tribe of that area.”
JESSIE SMITH, MOUNTAIN JADE

Today, the ownership of Aotearoa’s jade is entrusted to the Ngāi Tahu iwi (tribe). A representative of Mountain Jade, one of the country’s leading jade jewelry brands, explained that “Ngāi Tahu are the Kaitiaki, or guardians, of pounamu. All pounamu is sourced from the South Island, of which Ngāi Tahu is the principle iwi or tribe of that area.”

The New Zealand government returned the rights of greenstone ownership to the Ngāi Tahu elected tribal council in 1997. This landmark decision on the country’s path out of its colonial era and toward the era of greater cooperation between indigenous and non-indigenous populations that continues to this day, albeit with much still to be done. Along with the return of ownership came a ban on all jade mining in the country, leaving fossicking (prospecting, or sifting through riverbed deposits), as the only legal sourcing method for the precious stone.

Pounamu carving in Hokitika, West Coast, New Zealand — Miles Holden / Tourism NZ Visual Library

Pounamu carving in Rotorua — Credit: @mountainjadenz on Instagram

As Ngāi Tahu themselves state, the return of ownership rights “was a huge moment both for the tribe and for the greater identity of Aotearoa. The importance of the stone to the greater identity of Māori cannot be undervalued.” Indeed, the stone is seen as a gift from the gods, providing strength, protection and connection to the land, and its spiritual power is believed to grow as it is passed down from generation to generation. “The strong spiritual connection Māori have with pounamu is reflected in the way the various stone types were named — each pounamu type being given an identity that corresponded to the world Māori lived in. The stone was named after native birds, fish and plants. Others are linked to pakiwaitara (myths) or storytelling and others linked to specific locations,” Ngāi Tahu explain.

West Coast, New Zealand — Miles Holden / Tourism NZ Visual Library

Along with ownership, the tribe has the task of caring for the country’s jade deposits, and ensuring that sourcing is carried out sustainably. In recent years, there have been a number of environmental issues which have affected New Zealand’s rivers, which in turn could negatively affect jade deposits. Many problems stem from the agriculture industry’s excessive use of harmful pesticides and chemicals — however, there have been signs that the tide is turning, too. In 2017, the government granted protection rights under legal personhood to the Whanganui river, something which local Māori communities had campaigned to achieve for over 160 years.

And beyond environmental threats, illegal trade has emerged as a cause for concern. “We’re seeing people trying to sell [illegal] stones a lot more regularly, especially post-Covid, it’s becoming much more prevalent,” Lisa Tumahai, spokesperson for Ngāi Tahu, told The Guardian in 2021. But, without diminishing the illicit trade issue, things could be much, much worse — harmful jade mining continues to cause serious environmental, economic and social problems in Asia. The Diplomat reported in 2020 that “jade mines cover 14,000 hectares around Hpakant [Myanmar] and have been excavated for decades, leaving the environment barren and dusty.”

As long as jade continues to be coveted by cultures around the world — and there are no signs of that ending any time soon — sourcing of the precious material will remain a pressing issue. Following New Zealand’s lead by banning jade mining would undoubtedly be a step in the right direction.

Info

Stories ↓

How Māori Knowledge Is Safeguarding the Future of Aotearoa’s Jade

🏔 Journey Through the Beating Heart of the Alps

Switzerland

❄️ Andrea Juan Brings Art & Biology Together

Antarctica

🇩🇿 A Beacon of Eco-Urbanism in a Desert Oasis

Algeria

⚡️ Shocking the System: Classic Cars Enter the Electric Age

The Open Road

💚 Safeguarding the Future of the Riverbed Jade

Aotearoa/New Zealand

🏙 Gothenburg: Rewriting the Future of Mobility

Sweden

🍷 Urban Wineries Show Us How Production Can Evolve

United Kingdom

⌚️ Watches Making Waves in Ocean Conservation

The Seven Seas

🌻 In Toronto, Championing a Slow Fashion Revolution

Canada

🖼 ArtBasel 2024 — The Eco-Artists to Watch

Switzerland

🤖 Sustainable Fashion Isn’t an Oxymoron & AI Will Prove It

The Digital Realm

🇵🇪 A Local’s Guide to Lima’s Superb Sustainable Spots

Peru

♻️ Central Saint Martins’ Next-gen Fashion Saviors

United Kingdom

☀️ Green Light’s Guide to Berlin, Capital of Cool

Germany

🇮🇸 The Perfect Low-impact Day Out in Reykjavík

Iceland