“Ko Au, Ko Matatū. Ko Matatū, Ko Au.”
Our passionate reikura (athletes), our enduring and determined legacy players, our whenua, our kaitiaki and our inspired south island wāhine... This tohu is for you.
To begin the process, I was able to sit and hear many kōrero from focus groups across the takiwā. You spoke of your connections. Of your sense of wellbeing and excitement. You spoke of mana, diversity, and inclusivity. Your back yards, school fields and country roads. Most of all, your sacrifices, your determination, your faith in each other and your collective success.
These values were then explored by Te Whakaako and Ngāi Tuahuriri to identify a narrative and name relevant to the foundations you had laid. Matatū. Ko Aoraki Matatū. Nāna tēnei pūrākau. This tohu is also for you, e Koro.
These korero resonated with my own personal values, and the visuals flowed from my connection to your aspirations. This tohu visually depicts Matiaha Tiramōrehu’s account of Aoraki’s story, and champions him as the highest peak and the central guardian for the south island.
Your tohu reflects the mana of Aoraki as our central maunga and depicts our collective purpose and our shared connections. Its relationship to the values strategy will echo through our representatives, onto our communities and honours the whakapapa (genealogy) of Elite Women's rugby, formed from the legacies of those who pathed our way. I am honoured to have contributed to the foundations of the team Matatū, and to work in a collaborative effort to ensure this tohu spoke for and to you.
“On behalf of Crusaders and Highlanders, thank you again for your incredible support from Kaitiaki Studios over the past few months to bring together a KA WARE launch on Tuesday.
We couldn’t be more thrilled with how the entire event unfolded. The brand, identity and narrative have all pulled together beautifully. You have done a truly incredible job that reflects your deep understanding of our values and culture to be able to tell our story through art. Ka pai!
We have had overwhelmingly positive follow up and coverage on the event and brand, and we truly are looking forward to our continued partnership for our wāhine toa.”
— Sarah Munro - General Manager, Matatū