IT’S well-known as beautiful, green, and tourist-attracting, but the sale of genuine New Zealand greenstone or “pounamu” is being threatened by cheap, imported imitation pieces that go for a song. These mass produced souvenirs are mainly made from raw stone that is imported from Canada, China and Siberia in the form of genuine looking artifacts, and they are confusing tourists looking to purchase the real deal.
“Of course I want to buy New Zealand made greenstone!” exclaims Cassie Fong, 51, a tourist from Malaysia. “Quality and authenticity are more important than price. I want a real, special piece of New Zealand to take home with me.” However, she has found that many shops sell low-cost reproductions, some for as little as $2.
Anna Gibson, at the Te Papa store, says tourists are attracted to unique, New Zealand carved pieces of greenstone: “We find they are prepared to pay top dollar for the real thing.”
Jessica Huria, 31, of central Wellington proudly sports a chin moko showing designs of her Ngāi Tahu ancestry. She feels a deep connection with the greenstone her tribe manages under the Ngāi Tahu (Pounamu Vesting) Act 1997. Her opinion on the cheap as chips imitations flooding the market? She laughs. “You just can’t stop the Chinese. They’re really great at producing things en masse. But there has to be a way of distinguishing the real thing”.
The new assurance scheme recently implemented by Ngāi Tahu tribal council means that if you buy a stone with a Ngāi Tahu Authenticated Pounamu certificate you can rest assured that your piece is not imported jade, but is genuine New Zealand pounamu. Tourists are also told that the stone has been sourced by legitimate means and has been treated according to Maori cultural values by the kaitiaki (guardian) of pounamu.
Licensed Ngāi Tahu artist Paul Graham, based in Mount Maunganui and a full-time carver, says “working with Ngai Tahu Pounamu is a passion, a privilege and very rewarding.”
A former trader in souvenirs who has sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of imported greenstone and paua souvenirs and jewellery feels there should be no objection to selling the imported products, because in the main they are a fraction of the price and some are just as well made as the indigenous product.  
“As long as they are marked with the country of origin there should be no objection to them” he says. “There have been thousands of t shirts and soft toys with a NZ flavour sold in New Zealand, and they’re often made in China.
“If it’s made in NZ and marked that way, or it’s clearly better, then people who feel that’s important will pay the higher price, but if the expensive NZ made stuff is all Joe tourist can buy, lots won’t bother which will be to the country’s detriment.  Let the buyers choose”.
The Rugby World Cup begins in 30 days.

Leading Maori art TE Rauparaha Arena and Pataka Museum and Gallery will host Maori Art Market for the second time in October, during the Rugby World Cup 2011. The biennial showcase of more than 200 Maori and invited indigenous artists from around the world includes works from renowned Maori sculptors Para Matchitt and Roi Toia, Porirua weaver Kohai Grace, and Whitireia Polytechnic jewellery tutor Matthew McIntyre Wilson – who uses traditional weaving practices to create modern pieces from contemporary materials, like copper and silver. Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett says he hopes RWC visitors will  head 20 minutes north to see the works. International guest artists include Tewa-Hopi Indian Dan Namingha from the US, aboriginal artist Danny Eastwood and Samoan artist Fatu Feu’u.  The market runs from 9:30am – 6:30pm daily.
Maori Art Market, Te Rauparaha Arena and Pataka Museum and Gallery, Porirua, October 6-9.