Toi Māori designs on our website

To develop this site, our project team worked in partnership with the Immigration New Zealand Māori Partnership and Capability team. With this expertise the project was able to authentically embed , built on the concepts of , manaakitanga, , and .

The resulting designs followed a robust process to honour the project principles and .

The meaning of these designs connect with the personal characteristics needed, and the growth you experience, when you travel to new places and when different cultures mix.

Here's a brief guide to the meaning of the designs used on this website.

Waharoa

means a gateway or entrance, a sign of welcoming. Visitors to the Immigration New Zealand site will see this when they first come to the site.

Here, where the waves meet and skies embrace, carried by the currents of , let the breath of and the depths of welcome you.

Mangōpare

The , with its likeness to the hammerhead shark, embodies the , strength, and resilience necessary to undertake the journey across oceans, to step boldly into foreign lands while carrying the spirit of their .

The alternating heads of the mangōpare reflect the diverse and interconnected pathways of migration — that weave together and , that may bring their own and . This journey celebrates our shared duty to uphold , honouring each other and the lands we travel between, and strengthening the bonds that unite us across the world.

Koiri

The is a symbol of growth, reflection, and renewal, echoing the journey of the as it unfolds and returns upon itself in an eternal cycle. This movement speaks to the continual weaving of identity, where each turn represents self-discovery and collective strength.

The koru embodies unity, as people come together in a shared space, honouring each other’s roots while embracing new growth. Just as the koru nurtures and flourishes, so too can the people who journey to these shores, enriching the land and its communities with their presence and contributions.

In this way, the becomes an expression of , fostering a landscape of shared belonging and flourishing futures.

Aramoana

, the ocean pathway, embodies the vast journey of migration and the connection between lands and peoples. This motif symbolises the strength and resilience of those who navigate new horizons.

Each pathway represents a unique journey and story, enriching the collective tapestry through unity and respect for every pathway taken.

Takarangi

Takarangi patterns, often seen within indigenous cultures worldwide, symbolise the essence of creation, te orokohanga mai o te ao — the origins of the universe and life itself. Entrenched in , the spiral embodies the journey of personal growth, knowledge, and the wisdom gained through travel and the experience of diverse worlds.

Each twist and turn represents the cyclical nature of learning and the expansion of one’s worldview. This design, echoed throughout nature in the growth of plants and the formation of flowers, reminds us of our interconnectedness and the evolving pathway of each individual.

It speaks to the continuous journey of those who seek new beginnings, navigating growth and transformation across lands, nurturing roots in new soils, yet always connected to the of where they come from.