Aged Inanga Roimata Earrings

Description

Elegant smoky aged Inanga nephrite jade from the Arahura Awa (river) West Coast, South Island. In folk law the shimmering and chatoyant nature of the jade represented the shallows of the river or sea, the dark spots and quivering dark line are the eyes and bodies of Inanga (whitebait) travelling towards the sanctuary of Tangaroa the god of the sea. In the sunlight these hand-made Roimata seem to glow. In Māori culture, “Roimata” translates to “tears” and refers to the teardrop shape, often associated with healing, connection to the land and are widely regarded as touchstones in healing and meditation