Inanga Marama Hua – pounamu pendant

Marama

Marama is the moon.  Marama Hua is the full moon. All Māori life – planting, harvesting, fishing working, resting, navigating and travelling – revolved (and for many still revolves) around te Marama and his phases.  Marama dictates when the new year begins and gives guidance on what the year ahead may look like.  Marama is essential to the balance of life.

Every iwi has its own stories about Marama.  Tim was brought up with the knowledge that Marama is both male (Marama) and female (Hina).  Just like wahine here on earth, Marama follows a monthly cycle.  Every month Marama is struck with disease and, as she begins to wane, Marama is consumed with the sickness.   When at her weakest Marama bathes in the life-giving water of Tāne.  We witness the waxing Marama as her vitality is being gradually restored.  And so Marama again begins the cycle of death to rebirth, darkness to light.

Inanga

Inanga are the juvenile form of a native fish species here in Aotearoa.  Inanga pounamu resembles the colour of these young fish. Inanga also life by Marama’s cycles. A few days before a full and new moon from February to May inanga migrate downstream to the place where freshwater meets seawater coming upstream. They congregate here, waiting for a very high, spring tide so that they can work their way up the bank and lay their eggs in the vegetation. Here they sit and develop until the next Marama Hua (full moon) brings another spring tide allowing the eggs to hatch and be carried downstream. Here they continue to grow and the cycle continues.

So as you can see Inanga and Marama are closely intertwined.  Just as Marama is closely intertwined with our daily living. This pendant symbolises the living relationship we have with Marama and would be perfect for someone who has a passion for living by the cycles of te Marama.