Maori Koru

The Maori Koru is one of the five most popular New Zealand Maori carvings, with each carving having a spiritual significance. The other most popular designs are the Hei Matau (hook), Hei Tiki, Manaia (guardian), and the Pikorua (twist).

The Koru Design
Koru is the Maori word for the unfurling native fern. The fern frond starts off as a tight curl, which gradually unfurls. That curl is what the Koru design is named after. The NZ Koru design can be seen in Maori carvings, art, necklaces, pendants, as well as ornaments like the ones pictured above.

Maori Bone Koru Necklace

The Koru is often worn around the neck as a Hei Koru, or Koru necklace. When made from Cow Bone, the Koru can be intricately carved, and/or be stained or have New Zealand Paua Shell ( abalone) added to make it even more beautiful.

As you can see above, the Maori Koru Necklace can take many forms. It may be round, oval, open or closed, and it may be a single, double or even triple koru.

The Koru design can also look like waves, making the Koru Necklace very popular with surfers.

Above you can see Koru Necklaces that have been handmade by Maori carvers in New Zealand.

The meaning of the Koru Design
The Koru design represents peace, tranquility, personal growth, positive change and awakening, new life, and harmony. So it makes a great gift for so many reasons. Give to a new mother to mark the arrival of her baby. Give to a friend who is turning their life around. Give to yourself to remind you of its positive qualities.

Greenstone Koru

Greenstone is the beautiful Nephrite Jade found on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Greenstone is called Pounamu in Maori. The resource is strictly conserved by the local Maori.

There are a few different types of Greenstone, with Kawa Kawa being the main type made into necklaces and earrings.

Greenstone is a very hard stone, so carvings are generally not as intricate as bone. But they are no less beautiful, for a skilled carver can bring out the innate beauty of greenstone. Hold a piece up to the light and it becomes almost transparent, with gorgeous green flecks showing up brightly.

Maori hold greenstone in high esteem, and items like Maori Hei Tiki necklaces are handed down from one generation to the next. The necklace, having been worn next to the skin, is believed to take on the spirit of the wearer. Hence the owner's spirit is handed on the the next generation.

Paua Shell Koru Necklace

New Zealand Paua (Abalone) Shell is one of the most beautiful shells in the world. Its irridescent shades of blue, green, purple and pink are an amazing piece of natural beauty.

Traditionally, Paua shell was used to decorate Maori wood carving, in particular being used to make the eyes of the Tekoteko or Tiki. Nowadays, Paua Shell is also used to decorate Bone and Greenstone Necklaces, and it is used alone, as in the photo above.

Other Maori Koru Necklaces

Other materials used to make Koru Necklaces or Pendants include resin, pewter, black jade, and other metals.

In the photo above, a Koru design has been scrimshawed onto a flat Bone Necklace; the middle pendant is made from metal and paua, and the right hand pendant is made from Pewter. All can be purchased from http://www.shopenzed.com