Greenstone trail is not a journey to undertake lightly

Around 12 years ago I went to Hokitika in search of pounamu (greenstone, or nephrite jade). You see, my full family name is Nga¯ wharePounamu (The Houses of Greenstone) from the tu¯ puna (ancestor) Ngawharepounamu of Puniho Pa¯ . At the time I didn’t have any greenstone so I really wanted another taonga.

Unfortunately the tikanga (custom) of pounamu is that you can’t purchase it for yourself, it needs to be given as a gift.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, pounamu is only found on Te Tai Poutini (the West Coast). Traditionally the stone was prized by the tu¯ puna (ancestors) of Ma¯ ori for its value as a tool and for its beauty. ‘‘Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu: Although it is small, it is precious’’.

It took me five days to hitchhike to Hokitika from Wellington. On the fifth day I stopped at the small town of Arahura.

I wandered up to the nearest house to ask for directions to the local marae and was greeted by an elderly Ma¯ ori couple. The koroua (elderly man) just happened to be from Oeo in Taranaki. When I told them I was from Taranaki, they welcomed me into their home. Their warm manaakitanga (hospitality) was a blessing, especially when the koroua pulled out his collection of pounamu and explained the difference between nephrite and serpentine.

Serpentine is a type of magnesium silicate, greenish in colour and easily mistaken for pounamu. It’s also called leaverite, as in ‘leave-her-right-there’.

The koroua then told his daughter-in-law to take me to the Arahura awa and show me how to look for pounamu. At the time I thought my journey might be over quickly, especially when every greenish stone I saw was greenstone.

They weren’t.

After a cup of tea, the koroua then drove me to Hokitika, gave me a tour of the town and the stone carving of Tohu and Te Whiti (at the old hospital) and then dropped me off at my accommodation.

The next day I went to visit the local hapu¯ , Nga¯ ti Waewae, and spoke to their kuia (elderly woman). Another tikanga is that you ask permission when entering the territory of another iwi (tribe) in search of a taonga or when going to possible wa¯ hi tapu (sacred areas).

There is a long history of Taranaki tu¯ puna visiting Te Tai Poutini, including the tu¯ puna Tamaahua and Timuaki. Tamaahua originally migrated to Aotearoa on the Kurahaupo¯ waka and settled at Oakura with his two wives until they mocked him, so he left and sailed away.

One Taranaki tradition says that Tamaahua went back to Hawaiki, however other sources suggest that Tamaahua travelled south to Te Tai Poutini because there are multiple origin narratives about Tamaahua and pounamu.

Another tu¯ puna named Timuaki from Okato once travelled to Arahura and died when he breached the tapu (restrictions) of shaping pounamu.

I was adamant I’d follow all tikanga and avoid the fate of Timuaki.

It took me several hours walking through driving rain to a river I’d researched. I stood on a little sandy bay and said my karakia (prayer) and gave a ko¯ hatu (stone) from the Hangatahua (Stony) River. I then

"It is tikanga to give away your first stone."

discovered boulders of greenstone and jasper, and I found a piece of pounamu as long as my hand.

After spending the night in a tent in the foothills, I walked back to Hokitika and to the offices of Nga¯ ti Waewae where I showed the kuia my kohatu. She confirmed it was pounamu and then told me I had to give it away!

Although I was shocked, she explained it is tikanga to give away your first stone.

Hitching back to Wellington, every person I told the story to asked for the kohatu. I turned them all down while I polished my precious taonga with the oils of my hand.

Not long after I met up with a university colleague I’d last seen just before my journey. He asked me about the trip, I told him to wait and I’d fetch the pounamu from my office.

I thought of giving it to him, then thought, ‘‘no, it’s my precious’’ (just like Gollum).

Before I told the story I handed him the kohatu, and he said, ‘‘Mo¯ ku? For me?’’ I replied ‘‘Yes’’, and let the stone go.

Two months later I was awarded a prize from the university of another carved pounamu and ready to wear.

Truly what you give away comes back to you.