Hei-tiki

Hinepare, a woman of the Ngāti Kahungunu tribe, wearing a hei-tiki

The hei-tiki (pronounced /haɪtiːkiː/) is an ornamental neck pendant of the Māori.

Hei-tiki are usually made of Greenstone and worn around the neck. They are often referred to as tiki, a term that actually refers to large human figures carved in wood, and, also, the small wooden carvings used to mark sacred places.

One theory of the origin of the hei-tiki suggests a connection with Tiki, the first man in Māori legend. According to Horatio Gordon Robley, there are two main ideas behind the symbolism of hei-tiki: they are either memorials to ancestors, or represent the goddess of childbirth, Hineteiwaiwa. The rationale behind the first idea is that they were often buried when their kaitiaki (guardian) died and would be later retrieved and placed somewhere special to be brought out in times of tangihanga (mourning and associated activities). Because of the connection with Hineteiwaiwa, hei-tiki were often given to a woman by her husband’s family if she was having trouble conceiving. Horatio Robley, (Te Ropere, 1840-1930, author of “A History of the Maori Tiki”)suggested a similarity of some tiki to images of Buddha, which were often fashioned in green jade. He believed they may have been a forgotten memory, in debased form, of these. This would suggest an ancient Buddhist origin of the race, perhaps Sri Lanka.

The most valuable hei-tiki are carved from greenstone or pounamu. New Zealand greenstone consists of either nephrite (a type of jade, in Māori: pounamu) or bowenite (Māori: tangiwai). Pounamu is esteemed highly by Māori for its beauty, toughness and great hardness; it is used not only for ornaments such as hei-tiki and ear pendants, but also for carving tools, adzes, and weapons. Named varieties include translucent green kahurangi, whitish inanga, semi-transparent kawakawa, and tangiwai or bowenite.

Types of Hei-tiki

Traditionally there were several types of hei-tiki which varied widely in form. Modern-day hei-tiki however, may be divided into two types. The first type is rather delicate. with a head/body ratio of approximately 30/70, with small details included, such as ears, elbows, and knees. The head is on a tilt, and one hand is placed on the thigh, and the other on the chest. The eyes are relatively small. The second type is in general heavier than the first. It has a 40/60 head/body ratio, both hands are on the thighs, and the eyes are proportionately larger.

Meaning

Hei-tiki - Hei - from the neck or neck pendant tiki - human form
The typical hei-tiki has a large, angled rounded or pointed head, usually just slightly less then half of the total length and with the mouth on either the left or right side. The eyes were often inset with paua shell (Haliotis iris) but later, after arrival of Europeans, red sealing wax was used. Usually, the remainder of the body featured a relatively large abdomen and the legs in a squatting position, with the heels together and both hands resting on the thighs.