Pūrākau
The Māori people are the indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. As such, Māori have developed a deep understanding and knowledge of the natural environment.
This knowledge has been developed through hundreds of years of interaction and adaptation to the environment. Māori believe that each rock and mineral type emerges from the earth with its own story, its own whakapapa (genealogy) relating to its origin – hei koha tū, hei kura huna a Papa.
Pūtoto, the god of magma, constantly seeks outward paths towards the earth’s surface. On his upward journey, Pūtoto leaves many deposits - a koha (gift) for his right of passage, for the guardians of the earth’s bed rock and crust. Through the natural processes of heating, compression, solidification, weathering and erosion, Pūtoto generates new varieties of stones, rocks, sand and minerals.
Pounamu is New Zealand’s iconic mineral material, and Ngāi Tahu have a desire for it to be managed under the principle of ”Tiakina he tino taonga Pounamu mō tātou, ā, mo kā uri ā muri ake nei” (Care for the precious treasure Pounamu for all of us and our children who follow us). GNS Science is providing scientific research and information to assist Ngāi Tahu with achieving these aspirations and to ensure pounamu is managed sustainably for the benefit of future generations, click here for more information.
HE PATAKA KUPU (GLOSSARY)
| Minerals | |||
| HINETUAHOANGA | sandstones and grinding stones | ONEONE | earth |
| HINUEKU | clay | ONEWA | Basalt |
| KARA | basalt | PAKOHE | Argillite |
| KIRIKIRI | Sand | PAPAKURA | volcanic red rock |
| KIRIKIRITATANGI | singing gravel | POUNAMU | Greenstone |
| KIRIPAKA | chert/flint quartz | PUNGAPUNGA | pumice |
| KOHATU | stones | TOKA | Rocks |
| KOKOWAI | red earth | TUAHU | obsidian |
| MAITAI | Metal | UKU | Clay |
| MATA | obsidian | WHATUAHO | Greywacke |
| Guardian Gods (Nga Atua) | |||
| HINEPUIA | Geothermal energy | POUTINI | Greenstone |
| HINETUAHOANGA | Sandstones | PUTOTO | Magma |
| HINETAUIRA | sacred stones | RUAUMOKO | Earthquakes |
| HINETAPEKA | Earth’s elemental fires | RAKAHORE | Lithosphere |
| HINUEKU | Clay | TUAMATA | Bedrock |
| PARAWHENUAMEA | Earth’s waters | ||