Broad strong strokes of paint on a scroll or rich blue-black ink patterns gleaming under the skin’s surface, Maori designs command attention in each and every form they take. Before the adoption of written word, Maori tribe’s people utilised materials like bone, wood, stone and jade.

A large number of the etchings represent aspects of the origin of mankind, how the animals came into existence and how sacred the relationship between nature and man is.

The deep respect that the Maori have for nature is evident in their preservation of classic tribal designs. The intricate swoops and spheres communicate ancient tribal tales dating back generations and are often worn in the form of pendants.

Ariki Jewellery uses Nephrite Jade and Paua for pendant designs, such as:

Other traditional representations of Maori culture a in jewellery design include the depiction of sea creatures like turtles, whales and dolphins.

As a New Zealand Jewellery firm, Ariki Jewellery specialises in the use of stones and shells like Greenstone or Nephrite Jade and Paua Shell.