Opportunists and smugglers: illicit trade in sacred Māori greenstone thrives

Covid hardships mean pounamu is increasingly being targeted for its value, Indigenous leaders say

The rugged west coast of New Zealand is home to many secrets. Rivers that run flush with gold, beaches that conceal ambergris, and waterways dotted with boulders of the sacred Mori stone, pounamu.

Imbued with spiritual significance to New Zealand's Indigenous tribes, pounamu - otherwise known as greenstone or New Zealand jade - is highly prized. For centuries Mori have fashioned it into jewellery, tools and even weapons, which could denote status or be used as ceremonial objects or symbols of peace agreements.