This is the 10111th most frequent German word.
paua
"Paua" is not a German word. It refers to a type of abalone shell, mainly in New Zealand English.
In this sentence, 'Paua' is used as a noun describing a type of shell.
Die Paua-Schale ist in vielen Kulturen beliebt.
The paua shell is popular in many cultures.
Here, 'Paua' refers to the edible meat of the paua shell.
Hast du schon einmal Paua probiert?
Have you ever tried paua?
In this case, 'Paua' is used to describe the material (shell pieces) used in art.