Theme
Ka Rū Ka Hā — Awaken the Energy
“Ka pū te rū hā, ka hā o te ranga tahi; ka rū ana te whenua, ka rū ana te tangata.”
As the earth draws in shaking breath, the breath of people rises as one. When the land quivers, so too are the people.
The kaupapa
Ka Rū Ka Hā positions the wānanga as a point of collective activation.
It recognises the whenua as a living ancestor, and acknowledges that our landscapes, communities, and systems are constantly responding to change.
In Ōtautahi, this takes on particular meaning. The city continues to evolve through design, resilience, and renewal, offering a living context for how we engage with place and with each other.
This theme speaks to an awakening. Of breath, purpose, and shared direction.
It invites us to engage with Indigenous knowledge, strengthen leadership across the profession, and respond to environmental and societal change with intention.
Programme streams
The kaupapa will be explored through three interconnected streams:
Rū Te Tangata — People and Leadership
How we lead, support communities, and draw on Indigenous leadership models to navigate change.
Rū Te Whenua — Design and Practice
Land-based practice, innovation, and design approaches that respond to a changing environment while honouring place.
Ka Hā Te Ranga — Systems, Policy and Advocacy
The systems shaping our landscapes, and how policy, governance, and advocacy can evolve to support resilient futures.
The visual identity
Created alongside Ariki Creative as a kaupapa partner, the visual identity reflects raranga, weaving whenua (copper), wai (blue), and tipu (green) into a collective expression of movement and connection.
It draws on rarangatahi, the idea of banding together, weaving ideas and effort, and carrying lessons from the past into a stronger collective future.
Ka Rū Ka Hā visual identity developed by Ariki Creative 