Thu, Sep 16, 2021 8:41 AM

Mako design nod to Te Tauihu iwi

news-card
avatar-news-card

Jonty Dine

As back-to-back NPC champions, the Tasman Mako jersey is highly coveted, however its latest edition has been made even more special with the incorporation of beautifully intricate Māori designs.

Following a hui of Marlborough and Nelson Bays Rugby in 2014, a request was made for a specific tohu (mark) for Tasman Māori Rugby.

The original design was by Russell Wilson, of Huatahi Arts Aotearoa, a contemporary Māori artist based in Gisborne, who was known to a team member.

The design, which features eight koru, is now owned by Tasman Rugby Union.

The koru in the design represents the iwi of Te Tauihu and the Tasman Rugby Union, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa and Rangitāne (Kurahaupō tribes), Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Rārua (Tainui tribes), and Ngāti Tama and Te Āti Awa.

In late 2017 the design was incorporated onto the Tasman Mako jersey at the same time as the introduction of the Tasman Mako logo.

The jersey was blessed at a Mako team ceremony at the beginning of the 2018 NPC season by representatives of the eight iwi.

Mana whenua spokesman Barney Thomas said at the time that the change can only mean good things for Tasman rugby.

The Mako team made the semi-finals in 2018 and went on to win the 2019 National Provincial Championship trophy in a 12-game, undefeated season., and won the NPC trophy again in 2020.

Nelson App is owned by Top South Media. a locally owned media company.