I remember travelling through the Republic of Ireland in my mid twenties. It was summer, and the Emerald Isle was positively glowing. When I stopped to really look, I could see dozens of shades of green, from deep, shadowy forest tones to bright new growth in the fields. That connection to nature is part of the story behind this green mangōpare toki, a piece of 3D printed jewellery created here in Aotearoa.
Green has always been close to my heart, pun very much intended. I was born in May, with emerald as my birthstone, and I suspect my Celtic heritage has been on display through my love of green for most of my life.
For me, it is difficult to separate the calm I feel around green from the places it evokes. Deep forest green, fresh leaf green, vibrant lime green, which also happens to be my favourite citrus fruit, all take me straight to the land, the forest, and the feeling of being connected to nature.
What does the colour green symbolise?
Green is commonly associated with growth, renewal, balance, and calm. In modern chakra traditions, it is linked with the heart centre, and is often connected with love, compassion, and healing. Across many cultures, green has also represented life, fertility, spring, and the returning of the natural world after winter.
In te ao Māori, kākāriki is a word used for green and refers to the little green parrot. The relationship between colour, language, land, and taonga is layered and meaningful, and I am mindful of treating that with care. Here in Aotearoa, green can also bring pounamu to mind, a treasured stone connected with mana, whakapapa, and enduring value.
Green has had a complicated history, too. Artists spent centuries trying to create vivid, stable green pigments, sometimes using materials that were dangerously toxic. Yet it has endured as a colour that speaks to life, transformation, and possibility.
The story behind the green mangōpare toki
The green I chose for this new addition to my mangōpare toki collection is a shade that speaks personally to me. It takes me back to Ireland, to the lushness of my ancestral homeland. It also reminds me of the fresh growth that appears in Australian bushland after fire, that powerful reminder that renewal can follow even the harshest season.
Green reminds me that everything has a season. We can begin again, change our minds, grow in a new direction, and see things differently.
Like us, green has been through many seasons. “It’s not easy being green,” said Kermit the Frog. Quite rightly. But it is worth the journey.
Green Toki jewellery, necklaces, earring (and shhhhhh, perhaps bangles) is going live from November 1st 2026, and you can access these gorgeous pieces HERE when they are live!
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