The essence of Te Pae Tawhiti is that we stand on the horizon line, and
only then will the quality of life where one's mauri is both vibrant and
empowering be achieved. As we search along te pae tawhiti there is a need
for a focal point represented by tamanui te ra (the sun), as this is the
energy source from which life originates.
Then comes the intangible threads below the horizon line and the roots
of our people - our tipuna, and can also be likened to the roots of a kahikatea
tree which gains its stability by entwining with each other forming a strong
matted knot. This is unique as most trees root deep into the ground to avoid
being blown over by strong winds.
The letter "T" represents the trunk of the tree and translates the importance
of te reo Māori, the Māori language. Also, as a trunk of a
tree stands strong to the natural elements, so do we as a people, reinforcing
our right to stand here.
The woven green (reminiscent of papatuanuku) foliage or strands, represents
growth and the human connection of linking whanau, hapu and iwi, also illustrated
with the red lines representing the bloodline of Māori.
