Tohu

Tohu

He marangai, tu ana te pahukahuka, he iti Pioke, no Rangaunu, he au tona…

Small although the Pioke (dogfish shark) may be, great is its wake, as it traverses the might of the Rangaunu harbour,(The characteristics of the NgaiTakoto people who reside on the shores of the Rangaunu Harbour are likened to those of the Pioke)…

This NgaiTakoto whakatauki refers to the abilities of the Pioke that inhabits the waters of the Rangaunu harbour. Although small, it is renowned for the ability and strength that it possesses, in overcoming opposing obstacles’ (currents) and when moving as a unified group, (school) the Pioke are identified and regarded, as being a formidable force…..

The NgaiTakoto logo is symbolic of the relationship that NgaiTakoto have to both the Whenua and Moana including the Rangaunu harbour which is captured in the outline. The tail is symbolic to our embracing our connections at Te Rerenga Wairua acknowledging the conjoining of Te Moana-a-Rehua, ‘the sea of Rehua’ with Te Tai-o-Whitirea, ‘the sea of Whitirea’, (Rehua and Whitirea being a male and a female respectively).

Descending down the backbone, acknowledging our tribal whakapapa connections and whanau relationships that have evolved (koru) over time and are paramount in the inter-connected histories between Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, NgaiTakoto, Te Rarawa, and Ngati ahu. The Pioke connects us to our relations in Ngati Kahu (acknowledging the marriage of Tupoia and Tuwhakatere) by connecting both sides of the Rangaunu harbour.