Ngā Korero
Stories Behind the Animation

Colour plays an important role in communicating our identity. Red is a local colour of importance. Red for our Iwi indicates a connection to land, whānau, and leadership.

Take the time to reflect and explore colours that are important to your identity and culture.

Rings represent a cycle and journey whilst the sun provides us with the idea of the growth and cycle of one’s mana.

Tihei mauriora ki te whaiao, ki te ao mārama

The breath, the energy of life, to the dawn light, to the world of light.

Take the time to reflect on what represents growth and status in your own culture.

The Maunga (Mountain) represents Maungatautari. This is a place of significance. Maungatautari can be translated as 'suspended mountain'. It is said that the name was given by a Tainui tohunga named Rakataura, who first saw the mountain rising above the fog that often blankets the Waikato.

Ngā Puke (Hills) represents other key landmarks such as Taupiri to Scottsman's Valley and the stories attached to them.

The kohu (mist) is a common feature of Waikato. In Mātauranga Māori it represents Papanui, a sign that the next day will be calm. It also represents the soft, warm, sighs from the mountains and valleys of Papatūānuku.

Do you have any connections to any mountains? Do you know the stories behind them?

The pikopiko is a Māori word for the young curled shoots of ferns. It is a source of food and also a symbol of growth and what unites us.

Each pikopiko also represents our students, whānau, contributing schools, and or businesses within our community.

The fronds on each pikopiko represent people and their environment that provides sustenance and connections which in turn supports the growth of their mana within the community.

What symbol best represents your community?

The foreground represents our local native tipu me ngā karaehe mohoa (plants & wildlife). It symbolizes our connection to the land through traditional knowledge, the arts, literature, recreation, and economic activities.

Our local flora & fauna is often used for place names such as Kahikatea Drive & Peachgrove. For more information click on Our Iwi or Our Place.

Do you happen to know the history behind key place names you connect with?

The waves represent our local Maunga (gullies), Awa (river), and Moana (ocean). It also represents stories and knowledge. Each wave represents our ECE, primary, intermediate, secondary school, and tertiary providers.

The waka represents the journey of Tainui but also represents the journey of our rangatahi (students) as they navigate through our kāhui ako, they collect and embrace different stories and mātauranga (knowledge) that will "support their success today, success tomorrow, and success together".

Do you know the story of the Tainui Waka and the journey it took?