In the heart of Rotorua, come and discover the art of carving jade on a guided tour of our greenstone studio. Meet local artists as they craft jade by hand and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and atmosphere of our carving workshop. Your guide will share the history of jade carving in New Zealand and uncover the significance of pounamu for Māori. After visiting the studio, you'll get to choose and string a piece of New Zealand pounamu - turning it into a necklace to be treasured forever.
During the tour, you'll get to meet local Rotorua artists Tamaora Walker and Akapita Scally. They will show you the tools and techniques they use to carve jade and reveal some of their current work in progress. Watch as they transform raw stone into carved art and ask them questions while they work.
Pounamu is the traditional Māori name for greenstone or New Zealand jade. It is found only on the South Island's West Coast, created under our mountains and concealed in our rivers. During the tour, your guide will take you on a journey into the history of jade carving in New Zealand, uncovering the significance of pounamu for Māori and exploring the cultural legends of the stone.
The act of gifting greenstone is steeped in New Zealand tradition. So our gift to you is a piece of pounamu to take home and treasure forever. During the tour, you'll get to choose and string your piece of pounamu - turning it into a necklace.
Monday to Friday: 9.30 am, 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 1.30 pm, 2.30 pm. Tours are not available on weekends.
If you need to change or cancel your tour, please give us a call on 07 349 1828 or email [email protected]. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Allow 30-minutes for the whole experience. Please arrive at our carving studio 5-minutes prior to your tour departure time.
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Phone
07 349 1828
Email
[email protected]
Address
1288 Fenton Street, Rotorua 3010
Region
Rotorua
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