Ngāi Tahu Pounamu

Ngāi Tahu Pounamu, also known as Authentic Ngāi Tahu Pounamu, is the pounamu business wholly owned by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the iwi’s elected tribal council. It sells authenticated pounamu taonga online and runs the authentication scheme that lets buyers confirm a piece is genuine New Zealand pounamu.

In 1997 ownership of all naturally occurring pounamu within the Ngāi Tahu takiwā (tribal area) was returned to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, making Ngāi Tahu the kaitiaki of the stone. A Pounamu Resource Management Plan followed in 2002 to guide its sustainable management. Because a significant amount of greenstone sold as New Zealand jade is made from overseas stone, Ngāi Tahu Pounamu began developing its authentication system in 2010.

Every authenticated piece carries a mark of authenticity and a unique traceability code. Entering the code on the Ngāi Tahu Pounamu website shows where the stone came from, how it was extracted and processed, and who carved it. Only licensed carvers and businesses can use the mark and buy raw pounamu from Ngāi Tahu, and many carvers and galleries across New Zealand, including several in this directory, are part of the scheme.

The online store offers traditional forms including toki, roimata, koru, matau, rau kumara and niho, along with the Pēpi Pounamu range made for babies and children and a contemporary earring range. All pieces are carved in New Zealand by registered carvers, and the pounamu is blessed in its raw form before carving begins. Pieces ship within New Zealand and internationally, and a stockist locator on the website lists retailers carrying authenticated pounamu.