This carving represents Kiatiaki. In Te Reo Māori (the Māori language), a kaitiaki is a guardian. Offering kaitiakitangi is offering guardianship to the sky, land and sea. Māori believe that the earth is a taonga (gift) from our ancestors, and should be protected as such. You can extend kaitiakitangi by respecting and conserving the earth, being mindful of the impact of your behaviours and giving back to the land. The paua shell inlay (abalone) is found locally in Taranaki .