Aurei were customarily used as a pin for fastening cloaks and may be made from bone, stone, wood or shell. They may also have been worn through the ear as an earring or around the neck as a pendant. Aurei are still commonly worn as pendants and earrings and as with most Māori personal adornments, are often passed down generationally.
Material: Pounamu (Kawakawa)
Measurements: 100mm x 11mm x 7mm
Whakakaipiko forms were given as a symbol of endearment. Whakakaipiko are long and slender personal adornments characterised by a ‘piko’ or kink in the body of the pendant. Customarily they were used as a pin for fastening cloaks and may be made from bone, stone, wood or shell. Whakakaipiko are commonly worn as pendants.
Material: Pounamu (Kawakawa)
Measurements: 150mm x 14mm x 9mm
Hei tiki are the best known of all Māori adornments. Tiki are symbols of fertility that depict a new-born child. They are often family heirlooms bearing personal names and embodying their wearers lineage. As with most Māori personal adornments, hei tiki are often passed down generationally.
Material: Pounamu (Kawakawa)
Measurements: 85mm x 49mm x 8mm