Trading Taonga - The Story of Pounamu
Pounamu is a taonga with deep spiritual significance to Māori. Its beauty, usefulness, and cultural significance made it a highly prized resource that was traded throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
About this resource
Series: Connected 2022 Level 4 – He māpihi maurea - A prized possession
Reading year level: 8
Category: Non-fiction
Topics: carving, mana, Māori economy, Ngāi Tahu, pounamu, Poutini, pūrākau, South Island, taniwha, taonga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, trade, Treaty settlement, Waitaiki
Trading Taonga - The Story of Pounamu
Words by Matthew Rout (Ngāi Tahu)
This article explores the pounamu trade from the 1770s through to the present day, discussing the impact of colonisation on the trade of pounamu and how Ngāi Tahu regained kaitiakitanga of pounamu through the Treaty settlement process.
This resource is available as Google Slides and PDF. Teacher Support Material (TSM) is available in PDF and Word document.
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More from this series
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He Māpihi Maurea - A Prized Possession
In this Connected series there are three articles ("Trading Taonga - The Story of Pounamu"; "Kōhatu - Stone"; "When the Red Man Came").
1 of 3When the Red Man Came
This fictional story is told from the perspective of a kuia as she waits for “The Red Man” to arrive at her kainga. She hopes to seek lasting peace with him through the gift of a precious pounamu.
2 of 3Kōhatu - Stone
This map provides information on significant trade routes in Aotearoa New Zealand, including materials that were traded, where they originated, and the locations of major trading centres.
3 of 3
