Manaia

The Manaia is a mythological creature in Māori culture, and is a common motif in Māori carving and jewellery. The Manaia is traditionally believed to be the messenger between the earthly world of mortals and the domain of the spirits, and its symbol is used as a guardian against evil. In this form, it is usually represented in a figure-of-eight shape, the upper half culminating in a bird-like beak.