The Arahura River on the West Coast was a major source of pounamu (greenstone) for Māori. Māori tradition says that the Pounamu were originally a people from Hawaiki who escaped their enemies in a canoe, the Tairea. But when the canoe was wrecked, the Pounamu were turned into the greenstone boulders that can still be found in this river.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Reference:
D.000708
Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
Tāpiritia te tākupu hou