La Pierre Sacrée des Maori
Posted in Museums / Exhibits le
The Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac is showcasing a fascinating exhibition covering an important selection of precious ancient as well as contemporary pieces made from Jade, the sacred stone of the Maori people.
Entitled “La Pierre sacrée des Maori” the exhibition which takes place in the eastern Mezzanine of the museum covers diverse sculptures and objects carved in this green mineral. It features around 200 unique taonga–meaning treasures in the Māori language–, among them a truly wonderful and amazing collection of hei tiki pendants.
Considered by the Maori as a symbol of strength and a source of magical powers, jade–or pounamu in the Māori language– can only be found in the southwestern part of the archipelago of New Zealand, in the rivers of Te Waipounamu (Māori for "the place of greenstone"), a well-protected area and a World Heritage Site.
This is your chance to discover more about pounamu if you’re staying at http://www.hotelmottepicquetparis.com/en/ . The hotel is only a stone’s throw from the Musée du Quai Branly. So, try not to miss this unparalleled exhibit!