Te Tohu o Matariki, the new logo for Matariki, is now appearing on Go Media’s digital screens across their digital network throughout Aotearoa this month as the historic first matauranga, Māori public holiday was observed on Friday.

The tohu illustrates each star in the cluster as a tukutuku design and each has a different colour associated with it and is depicted by nine woven stitches to symbolise Māori culture intertwining with the rest of the country.

The design is said to be representative of Aotearoa uniting as one; a metaphor for the nation coming together under this Māori Kaupapa.

“It feels fitting that the first campaign we will run after coming on board with Te Papa as a preferred supplier will be a Kaupapa that aligns deeply with our company values and our tangata whenua roots – we are proud to be flooding our digital billboard network with Te Tohu o Matariki to celebrate this momentous milestone for Māori and for our country,” said director Andrea Rongonui.”

Te Papa worked closely with Extended Whanau designer Tyrone Ohia who developed the official tohu, to adapt it to communicate Te Papa’s brand point of difference.

“Our creative weaves visual layers reflecting the three themes from the government campaign.”

“Our campaign showcases and adapts the new Matariki tohu to communicate our own point of difference – our work reflects on the origin story of the tohu: a piece of weaving from our collection.” said Te Papa marketing manager Bridgette Yates.

“Our creative weaves visual layers reflecting the three themes from the government campaign – Matariki Hunga Nui, Matariki Ahunga Nui and Matariki Manako nui.

“The campaign works as a platform to inspire a national New Zealand audience with varying degrees of knowledge.

“We see this as the first of a five-year campaign that seeks to inspire and build knowledge in a diverse national audience.

“Come in and experience our beautiful exhibition and amazing events for everyone.

“Go Media’s digital screens are the perfect medium for this beautiful and vibrant creative, and also gave us the national reach we needed to touch New Zealanders going about their lives in both our urban centres as well as in provincial towns.”