Kiwa Art is a Parnell store at 285 Parnell Road that specialises in traditional Māori and Pacific art and craft, from wood carvings and bone carvings to pounamu, tapa cloth, tribal jewellery and traditional artefacts. Its name comes from te moana nui a Kiwa, the great ocean of the Pacific. The owner has traded in the traditional art of New Zealand, Pacific and Indonesian cultures since 1989, and has supplied dealers, collectors and museums around the world. The Parnell shop opened in 2010, and the business also sells online. The owner's uncle, Mick Pendergrast, wrote a reference work on raranga, Māori plaiting, first published in 1984, and a new edition is available from Kiwa Art Publishing.
Customers say the owner's knowledge and enthusiasm stand out, and that the staff know their products well. Pounamu is a popular buy, and necklaces and locally made jewellery get praise, along with the carvings and artefacts. One customer said it is a good place to find a gift. The shop holds a large inventory in storage, and the website says staff can look for pieces that are not on display. Nearby, The Fantail House, 0.1 km away, has 190 reviews at 4.9, and none of the two gift shops within a kilometre with ten or more reviews rates higher than Kiwa Art. Our pick in Parnell for pounamu and carved gifts, with a shop that knows its work.