Taonga by Timoti

Taonga by Timoti is a whānau pounamu business near Richmond in the Nelson Tasman region, run by carver Timoti Moran (Tainui, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tūhoe) and his wife Morganne. Timoti hand carves pounamu, pakohe (argillite) and garnet that the whānau gather themselves from the awa of Te Tau Ihu, and every piece is unique to the stone it was cut from.

Alongside jewellery and larger taonga, Taonga by Timoti offers intimate carving experiences where visitors learn about pounamu and carve a piece of their own under Timoti’s guidance, as well as a longer programme that uses carving to help people reconnect with their whakapapa. Customers often mention receiving the story of their stone along with their taonga, and Timoti also takes on pounamu repairs.

The whānau is known for Tū Māia, a kaupapa that gifts pounamu taonga to tamariki and rangatahi in state care, run in partnership with the care-experienced advocacy group VOYCE Whakarongo Mai. For every taonga sold, they carve another to be gifted to a young person in care. Visits to the studio are welcome by arrangement.