Ka kino to pounamu he pounamu onamata

Ka kino to pounamu he pounamu onamata translated means your greenstone is awesome and it comes from a tradition.

Pounamu, greenstone, is a prized treasure, a symbol of wealth, a token of peace-making. Originally from the realm of the ocean, pounamu began as a mythical being, a great fish, which was transformed into everlasting translucent stone.

The exhibition presents pounamu as a metaphor for treasured objects, ideas and concepts, re-staging elements of Maori and Pacific body adornment. It also celebrates diverse cultural and visual art practices which have intersected over time.