An amazing Manaia Sculpture handcrafted from a stunning piece of Inanga stone and mounted on a stunning piece of Kokopu Stone.
The Manaia is a mythological creature in Māori culture, and is a common motif in Māori carving and jewellery. The Manaia is usually depicted as having the head of a bird and the tail of a fish and the body of a man, though it is sometimes depicted as a bird, a serpent, or a human figure in profile. The Manaia is traditionally believed to be the messenger between the earthly world of mortals and the domain of the spirits, and its symbol is used as a guardian against evil.
Sculpture - Genuine West Coast Inanga Greenstone from the Arahura River area, West Coast. A grey-green colour. It is either very translucent or quite opaque. Highly prized by the Maori and the desired material for making Mere and Patu.
Base -Genuine West Coast Kokopu Greenstone from the Taramakau River area, West Coast. Also known as trout-stone named after the dark brown, olive green and yellowish markings found on the three species of native freshwater trout.
