Nephrite "hei-tiki" (neck pendant). These are believed to have their own "mana", are handed down as valuable heirlooms, and often given as gifts to seal important agreements. It has also been used for a range of tools such as adzes, as Māori had no metal tools before European contact. Commonly called "greenstone", jade jewellery in Māori designs is widely popular with tourists. Stone is often imported from Canada, China and Siberia, and Ngai Tahu runs a pounamu certification scheme to verify the authenticity of New Zealand stone. Nephrite Nephrite is a variety of the calcium, magnesium, and iron-rich amphibole minerals tremolite
Cock-of-the-rock Cock-of-the-rock The cocks-of-the-rock, which compose the genus Rupicola, are large cotingid birds native to South America. They are found in tropical and subtropical rainforests close to rocky areas, where they build their nests. The genus is composed of only two known extant species: the Andean cock-of-the-rock and the smaller Guianan cock-of-the-rock. The Andean cock-of-the-rock is the national bird of Peru. Both known species exhibit sexual dimorphism: the males are magnificent birds, not only because of their bright orange or red colors, but also because of their very prominent fan-shaped crests. Like some other cotingids, they have a complex courtship behavior,