The pendant is 89mm in length and 57mm at its widest.
This Manaia is carved from pounamu we have collected from the Marsden Valley in the Paroa Area just outside of Greymouth on the West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand. It is the Putiputi Pounamu - the 'Marsden Flower Jade' and is called this due to the intense greens and unique golden, yellow, orange and creamy colours (the flower) in the stone which is found in the Marsden Area.
The Manaia has an extremely strong, waxed nylon cord so the pendant can be worn ALL the time - even in any kind of water. It is four strands of cord which have been hand platted into a special, round, 4-plait. The cord is adjustable by pinching the special knots between your thumb and finger and pulling.
Pendant Meaning: The Manaia is your guardian angel. It has the head of a bird, the body of a human and the tail of a fish. It represents the Earth, Sea and Sky. It protects the wearer from evil and bad things from those places and brings you good luck in your life.
This Mana also has the tuna (eel) tail, which is also a Koru. The Koru represents the new shoots of the fern plant opening so it symbolises growth, harmony and new beginnings.
It also represents the family as a whole, an individual person, an event, time, place, accomplishment or achievement that has happened in your life.
They were traditionally tattooed on the body and carved in the main poles and panels in the Whare/house. The Maori had an oral language. Their life story was told from the Koru's that were tattooed and carved. It is up to the person wearing the pendant to tell the story of what their Koru represents.