Meet the Kuakua, or the large dog cockle.

Why the name dog cockle? Apparently, the meat of this mollusc is not as palatable as its other sweet cockle varieties.

So to put it bluntly, its kai is "only fit for dogs".

I collect plenty of these 'undesirable' shells in my local Matauri Bay beach.

Especially the older shells bearing cracks, bores and eroded surfaces.

Why?

Because I love all things "pokapoka" (imperfect) and "wabi-sabi" (Japanese aesthetic of appreciating all things in its natural, transcient and imperfect nature).

I've transformed these broken shells into sunbleached pendants by sculpting white mica beachstone clay that have been lightly speckled with beach sand.

Who wants to wear and share their perfectly imperfect life with this necklace?

You can see this necklace here in our website.