Inspired by the origin myth of how the North and South Islands of New Zealand came to be, North and South features pounamu stylised to represent Te Ika-a-Māui / Fish of Māui (North Island) and Te Waka-a-Māui / Canoe of Māui (South Island). As legend would have it, from his waka (canoe) Māui threw his magic fish hook carved from his grandmother’s jawbone into the ocean, and with help from his brothers, brought up from the depths a great fish.