Ancient Kōkōtangiwai Niho o te Taniwha

Niho Taniwha, tooth of the taniwha in beautiful and ancient Kōkōtangiwai.  You can actually look into the depths of this Pounamu. It’s like looking in to an emerald pool.  Then you can spend hours just rolling the taonga and watching it flicker in the light.  It is absolutely mesmerising.  It also makes this taonga very difficult to photograph as the light just keeps bouncing off it from every which way!

Tim left the kiri, the skin, on one side of this niho so you can see and feel the pounamu in its natural, raw form.  Just like a niho would feel. Just as we imagine a Taniwha niho would feel.

This stone, Kōkōtangiwai(often known as just Tangiwai) is the tears Ranginui cried when he was eternally separated from his wahine, Papatūānuku. As his tears fell on to Papatūānuku they solidified into the most beautiful, transluscent pounamu called Kōkōtangiwai. 

Tangi is to cry, wai is water.  Kōkōtangwai is a deep sorrow that is never completely healed.  I think most of us carry the memories of a lost loved one who sits deep in our hearts, a sweet sorrow.

Tangiwai is found only in Aotearoa and dwells in the areas of highest rainfall in Te Wai Pounamu. Tangiwai is the most ancient type of pounamu and is in fact a Bowenite rock, with a different composition to the more common Nephrite pounamu you will find available. 

By shaping this tangwai into a niho you carry the strength, guardianship and protection of the taniwha in a taonga that also holds your wairua and reflects your deepest sorrows.  This taonga has an incredible feel to it and I can guarantee you will spend hours peering into its depths.

• Kōkōtangiwai pounamu from Piopiotahi.
• Length 92mm x 53mm widest point.
• A one-of-a-kind taonga by Timoti.

💚Now every taonga you purchase helps us to carve a taonga for EVERY tamariki in care in Aotearoa. You can read more about our Tū Māia project here. Ngā mihi mahana for your support of this kaupapa!💚