Genuine New Zealand Greenstone Hook Pendant

The fish hook shape of the hei matau finds its origins in Māori legend, which holds that the North Island of New Zealand was once a huge fish that was caught by the great mariner, Maui, using only a woven line and a hook made from the jawbone of his grandmother.

The fish hook denotes the importance of fishing to the Maori people of New Zealand and their strong relationship to Tangaroa, the god of the sea.

It was originally a practical tool used to catch fish but slowly became ornamental, particularly when Maori began trading with Europeans.