Niho / Tooth Pounamu Pendant - NZ Greenstone | Kōkopu Totoweka

Handcrafted in Hokitika, New Zealand, from genuine Kōkopu Totoweka Pounamu sourced from New Zealand's West Coast, this Niho pendant showcases deep olive tones and distinctive speckled markings, making it a truly one-of-a-kind taonga.

Every pendant is individually photographed, so you can purchase with confidence knowing the exact piece shown is the one that will be carefully packaged and sent to you.

About Kōkopu Totoweka

Kōkopu Totoweka takes its name from the kōkopu, the native freshwater fish whose speckled markings the stone so closely resembles. Flecks and spots of darker colour are scattered through a deep olive-green body, and the reddish-brown (totoweka) inclusions add further warmth and depth. It is one of the most characterful varieties of West Coast Pounamu, and every piece carries a pattern found nowhere else.

About the Niho

The Niho takes its form from the tooth, a shape traditionally associated with strength, courage, and protection. Niho pendants were worn by warriors and by travellers seeking safe passage and good fortune, particularly across water. Today the design represents determination, authority, and protection for the person who wears it.

Each pendant is carefully shaped and polished to highlight the natural beauty of the stone, creating a timeless taonga to wear every day or gift to someone special.

Authenticity

This pendant is authenticated through the Ngāi Tahu Pounamu scheme, the iwi-led programme that guarantees the stone is genuine New Zealand pounamu, lawfully sourced from the rivers of Te Waipounamu and carved with the cultural care it is due.

It arrives with its own authentication card carrying a unique traceability code. Entered on the Ngāi Tahu Pounamu website, that code confirms your piece as genuine New Zealand pounamu, lawfully sourced and carved under the scheme — a record that stays with your taonga.

Specifications

• Stone type: Kōkopu Totoweka Pounamu
• Design: Niho (Tooth)
• Meaning: Strength • Courage • Protection • Safe Travel
• Origin: West Coast, New Zealand
• Hand carved in: Hokitika, New Zealand
• Carved by: Scott Mills
• Authentication: Ngāi Tahu Pounamu — unique traceability code
• SKU: PPNI1130
• Cord colour: Green
• Cord length: Adjustable — one size fits all
• Binding: Simple

Size

• Length (top to bottom): 55 mm
• Width (across): 40 mm
• Thickness: 7 mm

Photo Guide

• Photo 1: The pendant shown in natural light without back-lighting, representing its everyday appearance.
• Photo 2: Back-lit to showcase the natural translucency of the Pounamu.

Please Note

The translucency you see in the back-lit photo will vary depending on the colour of the light behind the stone. Warmer light (around 3000K) will bring out any reddish tones within the stone, while cooler light (around 6000K) will make the same piece look predominantly green. Held up to natural daylight, a lamp, or a phone torch, the same pendant can look noticeably different.

The colour of the pounamu may also appear slightly different on different screens, as monitors and phones don't all display colour the same way.