42 - Maori Culture, New Zealand (Aotearoa)

Maori Culture, New Zealand (Aotearoa) Hei-Tiki First half of the 20th century Nephrite, carved, abraded, and polished, depicting a crouching figure with large round eyes, head turned toward the left shoulder H. 6 cm Provenance: > Private collection, central France Bibliography: > Lyon & Turnbull Auction, June 9, 2022 - lot 65, comparable example Condition report: Mounted on a base, with a hole for hanging Hei Tiki, Maori pendants carved from stone, were worn by high-ranking individuals as symbols of prestige and authority. Imbued with mana (spiritual power), they are considered taonga tuku iho, treasures passed down from generation to generation. Each Hei Tiki is unique, linked to the memory of the tūpuna (ancestors) and imbued with wairua, its own spiritual essence.