Kawakawa Pounamu Manaia Pendant

Brand New, Carved from Kawakawa Pounamu from the Arahura River, West Coast of the South Island.

Dimensions at the widest points: 50mm x 30mm x 8mm

The Manaia is a guardian representing balance and protection. The new age understanding of the Manaia is that it represents the balance between the sky, the earth and the sea. Its design is based on birds, which are seen as vehicles for the souls of the dead as they travel to the afterlife. Birds were so valued by Maori that their cries were listened to and their movements watched with care. As a result, all Manaia serve as guardians and givers of omens. To wear one can protect from evil and connect the wearer with the souls of the dead. They are usually depicted in profile, and some feel this is because the Manaia is half in the spiritual world and half in this world. The Manaia is often depicted with the three fingers of birth, life and death. It can also be shown with a fourth finger representing the afterlife and describing the circle of life.