Cultural Update

In today’s modern society most people are aware of branding and brand identity as it relates to the things they buy and the brands that they associate with. In traditional times cultural branding or identification was also very important. It often reflected the environment that iwi members lived within and included such things as a specific colour, a unique taonga and specific type of kākahu.

In this sense, branding today is also an important part of our cultural and organisational identity.

In late 2013 it was decided by the Board of Trustees to create and adopt a new brand/logo that not only captured that identity but also expressed the new journey that Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō was embarking on as a post-Treaty settlement iwi.

Central to our identity and history is our name, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, or Ngāti Apa of the setting sun. This describes our migration from the North Island to Te Tauihu and the West Coast, or towards the setting of the sun. This is the reason why we have the waka in our logo moving towards the setting of the sun.

The waka, and in particular the Tauihu, or the prow of the waka, symbolises a number of meanings that are significant and deeply relevant for iwi members.

Firstly, we want our whānau to hop on board the waka.

The waka also symbolizes movement and moving forward into the future.

The Te Tauihu symbolises our iwi being at the cutting edge of innovation, cultural expression and economic development. And, as well as representing the sun, the colour yellow depicts the whenua and the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō rohe.

 

Mana Rangatahi

The second Mana Rangatahi wānanga has just set sail with over twenty of our rangatahi participating on the six-day journey of iwi and personal exploration.

The wānanga travelled into the Marlborough Sounds so our rangatahi can establish their connection and discover their history with places such as Meretoto and Anamāhanga.

Our rangatahi will undergo various challenges both physical and spiritual as they journey in the footsteps of our tūpuna.

 

Future Wānanga

We are currently finalising the details of other wānanga to be staged over the next 12 months, so if you or your whānau members are interested in participating in future Mana Rangatahi or general wānanga, please contact us to express your interest.