Ora Jade

Ko wai tatou

Ora Jade is a whanau / family-owned business that strive to integrate and include family in any mahi. It can be simply for advice, physical mahi, going to the Awa to find raw materials, or beachcombing. ORA JADE only collect stone they believe to be the best quality and never take more than what they need to work with. This way the resource is there for those in the future and others who follow the same course.

The artist of ORA JADE is is Leon Bonney, who is based in Richmond, Nelson, New Zealand. His forte is carving with 10 years’ experience. Bonney attended art school and excelled in stone sculpting.

“I draw my influences from my childhood where I grew up in an area of great archaeological evidence for multiple Māori occupations along the Mataura River / Southland. As a young boy my Māori Kuia / Grandma told me that the stones must speak to me which I believe is still the case, if something didn’t feel right then I was meant to leave it and wash my hands. Some places and items could be very Tapu or hold Makutu, meaning sacred or cursed. This philosophy is incredibly significant as there are those who chose to ignore and sometimes ended in perilous circumstances.” I have a magnitude of respect for those Taonga I still care for and use as a constant form of inspiration.”

The word Ora – in Māori this word means wellbeing. Predominately ORA JADE works with Nephrite a stone in ancient Greek times associated with wellness and health.

At the heart of ORA JADE our mission is to revive a nearly lost tradition and cultural heritage. We believe encompassing them helps us diversify and construct a wonderful multicultural outlook.