Deane Moreton of Moko Pounamu learnt his craft whilst working alongside his father in the family greenstone business. With over 40 years experience in sourcing and handcrafting New Zealand Pounamu, Deane is now one of New Zealand's leading experts. Based in Christchurch, Deane has workshops in Christchurch on the West Coast and up and down the Motu. He works with some of New Zelands finest Pounamu Carvers and is proud to be a distributor of their work. 

We produce and source a wide range of carvings that we distribute through our own retail store, Moko Pounamu as well as outlets nationwide 

Moko Pounamu is proud to be 100% New Zeland owned and operated and proud to be a part of the Ngai Tahu Authenticity Scheme 

Our Carvers

Des Hetherington 

Des Hetherington interest and affinity with New Zealand Greenstone (Pounamu) was ignited when visiting Karamea on the West Coast of the South Island, where he encountered an ancient Pounamu adze. This was the beginning of his lifelong journey of discovery into New Zealand Greenstone.

Fortunately, Des family later moved to the West Coast, among the source of Pounamu, where he began learning about the many different carving forms and stone varieties. The Kōkopu, Inanga, Kahurangi, and Marsden Flower Jade hold a special place for him. In the early seventies, Des’s creativity led him to carving the stone he had come to love.

Andy Ruskin

Originally from Nelson with a background in visual arts and metalsmithing, Andy Ruskin moved to the West Coast in 2001 to pursue a career in jade/pounamu carving. His work is inspired by the wild natural beauty of the local landscape and the rich cultural legacy of early Māori artists who worked with this rare and challenging material—valuing it above all others.

Andy has maternal whakapapa to the deep-Southern iwi of Ngāi Tahu / Kāti Māmoe and considers his carving practice to be a continuation of an ancient family tradition.

Anaru Anderson 

Anaru is a young Pounamu carver working on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. He is of Ngāti Porou whakapapa and has had an interest in Pounamu and carving from an early age, encouraged and taught by his father who is an established carver in his own right.

Anaru enjoys carving in a variety of styles and is committed to continually developing his skills and learning his craft. We are proud to have him on the Moko Pounamu team as he carries forward the artistry and traditions of his heritage.

Paul Anderson 

Paul has been carving Pounamu for the last 30 years, taking great pleasure in his work. He began his carving journey with bone in Dunedin, and later travelled to Christchurch to study under a Master Carver. There, he learned the Māori designs and the cultural meanings behind each of the carvings he was creating.

Paul now lives in Greymouth and works from his own workshop, where he carves alongside his sons, Mark and Shane—passing down knowledge, tradition, and skill through generations.

Kaleb Schad

Kaleb first began his creative journey by crafting knives from metal, which gradually evolved into incorporating Pounamu/greenstone for the handles. His growing interest in the stone caught the attention of master carver Deane Moreton, who took Kaleb under his wing and taught him traditional Māori designs and their deeper meanings.

Now, Kaleb is appreciating the finer aspects of carving and takes pride in creating meaningful pieces for the Moko Pounamu site—where his developing artistry continues to evolve with purpose and respect.

This rawstone is Kawakawa, the darkest and strongest form of Pounamu. Its colour ranges from a medium green to a dark forest green, and is not typically translucent. It is named for the native kawakawa plant which traditionally used for its culinary and medicinal properties. 

Endless combinations of Pounamu types occur, and no two pieces are the same guaranteeing that your Pounamu is unique.