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Story: Ngāi Tahu

Hei tiki from Kaiapoi pā

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Hei tiki from Kaiapoi pā

Kaiapoi , at the eastern end of routes across the Southern Alps, became the centre of working and trading in the prized stone pounamu (greenstone, or New Zealand jade). The stone was carried from the Arahura River in Westland across what is now Harper Pass to Kaiapoi, and from there it was traded throughout New Zealand. This magnificent greenstone hei tiki (ornament) was found at Kaiapoi .

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Canterbury Museum

Reference: E163.254

Permission of Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch, New Zealand must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Te Maire Tau, Ngāi Tahu – Spreading south and west, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/object/1637/hei-tiki-from-kaiapoi-pa (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Te Maire Tau, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 March 2017.