Where is Te Wai Pounamu?

Where is Te Wai Pounamu?

South Island of New Zealand
Te Wāhipounamu (Māori for “the place of greenstone”) is a World Heritage Site in the south west corner of the South Island of New Zealand.

What does Te Wai Pounamu?

Te Waipounamu is the official Māori name for New Zealand’s South Island which is also sometimes referred to as Te Waka a Maui, from mythology. Māori named the district wāhi pounamu, meaning “place of greenstone”, and the South Island came to be called Te Wāhi Pounamu.

Are you allowed to collect pounamu?

Public fossicking for pounamu is allowed on the beaches of Te Tai o Poutini (the West Coast of the South Island) and is limited to what an individual can carry on their person or backpack within a 24 hour period – this means what an individ- ual can physically lift by themselves and take unaided to their mode of …

Is it bad to buy pounamu for yourself?

However whether you are buying a pounamu taonga for a loved one or yourself, you will be ok. It will not bring you bad luck. Your pounamu taonga will be imbued with your wairua, add to your mana and become the symbol of honour and permanence that it has always been.

When did Māori arrive in South Island?

Māori originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350.

Can you take greenstone out of NZ?

In 1997, the tribe became the legal owner and guardian (kaitiaki) of all New Zealand pounamu. The role means Ngāi Tahu are the only people in the country with legal permission to extract pounamu from the wild for either tribal or commercial use.

Does anyone live on Stewart Island?

Stewart Island’s economy depends on fishing and summer tourism. Its permanent population was recorded at 408 people in the 2018 census, most of whom live in the settlement of Oban on the eastern side of the island.

How does Stewart Island get its power?

SIESA’s network is powered by five diesel generators at a central power station and the power is delivered by 30km of overhead lines, 10km of underground cables and 35 distribution transformers.

What is Te Wāi pounamu?

It is internationally recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Known to the original Māori inhabitants as Te Wāi Pounamu – the greenstone waters, the 2.6 million hectare site covers almost 10% of New Zealand’s total land area. It encompasses four national parks: Westland Tai Poutini, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring and Fiordland.

What is Te Wāhipounamu?

Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand World Heritage Area This spectacular 2.6 million hectare area encompasses Westland Tai Poutini, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring and Fiordland national parks. The South West of New Zealand is one the great natural areas of the world. It is internationally recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

What is the most important pounamu in New Zealand?

Traditionally, the pounamu in the Arahura River has been most important for Poutini Ngāi Tahu (Ngāi Tahu people on the West Coast), with the junction of this river and Waitaiki (Olderog) Stream being particularly important. Te Ara: Encyclopedia of New Zealand

What did Poutini do to waitaiki?

Poutini, the guardian of Pounamu and a taniwha (a giant water being), snatched a beautiful Māori woman, Waitaiki, from the North Island. He brought her south eventually to the Arahura River but her husband Tamaahua gave chase. Fearing Tamaahua’s strength and determination, Poutini decided that if he could not have Waitaiki, no-one would.