Trade Me has banned the sale of raw pounamu from its online marketplace, removing existing listings and blocking new advertisements in a significant move to combat illegal greenstone trading and protect one of Aotearoa’s most treasured taonga.
The decision follows growing concerns about the theft, illegal collection and black-market sale of pounamu, particularly on the West Coast of Te Waipounamu, where the precious stone holds immense cultural and historical significance for Ngāi Tahu.
The ban covers uncut river and beach cobbles, boulders, large unworked stones and rough-sawn slabs or plates of pounamu.
Finished pounamu products, including carved jewellery, taonga and ornamental pieces, can still be listed for sale, subject to Trade Me’s other marketplace rules.
Protecting a Taonga Under Māori Ownership
Pounamu is far more than a valuable stone.
For Māori, it represents whakapapa, mana, cultural identity and the relationships between people and whenua.
Traditionally used for tools, weapons, adornments and treasured heirlooms, pounamu continues to carry deep spiritual and cultural importance.
Under the Ngāi Tahu (Pounamu Vesting) Act 1997, ownership of natural pounamu within the Ngāi Tahu takiwā was vested in Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
The legislation recognises the relationship between Ngāi Tahu and pounamu and provides an important legal foundation for the protection and management of the resource.
The unauthorised removal and sale of raw pounamu has long been a concern for iwi leaders, particularly where material is taken without permission and enters commercial trading networks.
Illegal Trading and the Growing Black Market
Concerns about pounamu theft have intensified amid reports of illegal collection, theft associated with alluvial gold-mining operations and the resale of raw stone through online marketplaces.
There have also been allegations of pounamu being exchanged for drugs, highlighting concerns about criminal activity associated with the trade.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae chair Francois Tumahai has been among the iwi leaders calling for stronger action to address the unauthorised removal and sale of pounamu.
Online marketplaces have provided an avenue through which raw stone can be advertised to buyers, raising difficulties around verifying where the material came from and whether sellers have the right to trade it.
Trade Me’s decision removes one of those avenues by prohibiting raw pounamu listings rather than requiring the platform to establish the origin of every individual stone.
Ngāi Tahu Welcomes Major Step Forward
Ngāi Tahu has welcomed the move as a significant development in efforts to protect pounamu from illegal exploitation.
The decision is also expected to increase pressure on other online marketplaces, including Facebook Marketplace and Etsy, to examine how raw pounamu is being advertised and sold through their platforms.
For iwi, the issue extends beyond preventing theft.
It is also about protecting the integrity of pounamu as a taonga, recognising Māori ownership rights and ensuring the resource is managed in accordance with tikanga and established legal arrangements.
The change demonstrates how online trading platforms can play a role in preventing the commercialisation of material that may have been unlawfully obtained.
What the Ban Means for Buyers and Sellers
Trade Me’s new rules distinguish between raw pounamu and finished products.
Uncut stones, rough slabs and other unworked material are prohibited from being listed.
Finished carved items, jewellery and ornamental pieces remain permitted.
However, the ability to sell a finished item does not automatically establish that its source was lawful.
Buyers are encouraged to consider provenance and purchase from reputable sellers who can provide confidence about the origin of the pounamu.
For legitimate carvers and businesses, traceability remains an important part of protecting both cultural integrity and consumer confidence.
A Wider Challenge for Online Marketplaces
Trade Me’s decision raises broader questions about how digital marketplaces manage the sale of culturally significant resources.
While online trading has made it easier for small businesses and artists to reach customers, it has also created opportunities for material of uncertain origin to be sold across the country and internationally.
For Māori, the protection of taonga involves questions of cultural authority, ownership, tikanga and the responsibilities of commercial platforms.
The challenge now is whether other marketplaces will adopt similar restrictions and how authorities and iwi can work together to prevent illegal collection and trading.
For Ngāi Tahu, the message is clear: pounamu is not simply another commodity to be extracted and sold. It is a taonga whose ownership, cultural significance and protection must be respected.
Trade Me’s decision marks an important step towards that goal, although continued monitoring and enforcement will be needed to address illegal trading beyond a single platform.
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