Hei-tiki

The hei-tiki /haɪˈtiːkiː/ - an ornamental pendant of the Māori of New Zealand - is worn around the neck. Hei-tiki are usually made of pounamu (greenstone), and are considered a taonga (treasure) by Māori . They are commonly called tiki by New Zealanders, a term that actually refers to large human figures carved in wood, and, also, to the small wooden carvings used to mark sacred places. (The word hei in Māori can mean "to wear around the neck".)

Retailers sell tourist versions of hei-tiki throughout New Zealand - these can be made from jade, other types of stone, plastic, or other materials.

One theory of the origin of the hei-tiki suggests a connection with Tiki, the first man in Māori legend. According to Horatio Gordon Robley, there are two main ideas behind the symbolism of hei-tiki: they are either memorials to ancestors, or represent the goddess of childbirth, Hineteiwaiwa. The rationale behind the first idea is that they were often buried when their kaitiaki (guardian) died and would be later retrieved and placed somewhere special to be brought out in times of tangihanga (mourning and associated activities). Because of the connection with Hineteiwaiwa, hei-tiki were often given to a woman by her husband's family if she was having trouble conceiving.

Robley, author of A History of the Maori Tiki, suggested a similarity of some tiki to images of Buddha, which were often fashioned in green jade. He believed they may have been a forgotten memory, in debased form, of these.

The most valuable hei-tiki are carved from pounamu which is either nephrite or bowenite (Māori: tangiwai). Pounamu is esteemed highly by Māori for its beauty, toughness and great hardness; it is used not only for ornaments such as hei-tiki and ear pendants, but also for carving tools, adzes, and weapons. Named varieties include translucent green kahurangi, whitish inanga, semi-transparent kawakawa, and tangiwai or bowenite.

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