Hokitika, New Zealand

For hundreds of years Hokitika and its surrounding area, especially the Arahura River, has been nationally important as a source of pounamu, otherwise known as greenstone, NZ jade or nephrite. Pounamu can take an edge as tough as steel, and has a beauty all of its own. As it was well suited to making tools, weapons and personal ornaments, it was (& still is) a taonga or great treasure. Mäori travelled from throughout the country trading for pounamu from this area. The South Island takes one of its Mäori names, Te Wahi Pounamu, from the stone. Ngäi Tahu is the tribe with guardianship of the pounamu vested under its authority. The tangata whenua (people of the land) of the West Coast are known as Poutini Ngäi Tahu in recognition of an ancestor whose name is given to the West Coast, Te Tai o Poutini (the Tides of Poutini).