Origins of Aotea Stone
All of the pieces that we have for sale in our shop are striking in their own ways, but there’s something rather special about pieces carved from Aotea stone. We have several pieces showcasing this rare and precious stone. Aotea stone is sometimes called bluestone because - yep, you guessed it - it has a distinctive blue hue to it that makes it look quite different to the shades and hues of pounamu.
Aotea stone is only found in one area of South Westland - the Makaawhio (Jacobs) River, where local iwi Ngati Mahaki ki Makaawhio have cared for, gathered and traded it for generations. As with pounamu, it is regarded as the manifestation of the goddess Waitaiki who was chased into the sea and cast into stone. Unlike pounamu, which is found in various locations, Aotea has only ever been found from this one river. It’s a much more precious and rare natural resource than pounamu, though pounamu has its own very special qualities of its own.
All stones and all pieces carry their own unique story of connection to the land - most of which will be locked away within the stone’s energy until the end of time. That in itself is a mysterious and enticing reason to own a piece of this unique stone. Take a look at our current collection in our shop.