Hei-tiki

Hey kiddo! Do you know what a hei-tiki is? It’s a special piece of jewelry from a place called New Zealand that people wear around their necks.

Imagine a small statue that is made of jade or other special stones. It can vary in color from greens, browns, and even black. It can have a smooth or rough texture. Now the cool thing about the statue is that it has a face and a body, but the body is very different from a human's. It almost looks like a shape of a kite, big head and tiny legs.

The hei-tiki actually represents a person from a very long time ago. There is a story that says that a goddess named Hine-te-iwaiwa gave birth to a baby who was stillborn. However, this baby was not an ordinary baby. He was meant to represent the first man in the world, and his name was Tiki. Hei-tiki is interpreted to mean “pendant of Tiki”. So the hei-tiki represents this first man in the world.

Now this jewelry item isn’t just for anyone! The hei-tiki is very special to people in New Zealand who are part of a culture called Māori. In their culture, the hei-tiki is considered very very special and valuable. It is a symbol of mana, which means power or prestige, and it is often passed down from one generation to another. It is considered a treasure of the family.

So there you have it kiddo, hei-tiki is a type of special jewelry that is shaped like a small statue and is made of special stones. It represents the first man in the world and is a symbol of power and prestige for the Māori people in New Zealand.