Celebrating Indigenous Voices
TE ARAWHATA | AOTEAROA
COMMUNITY DRIVEN SPACE
PROBLEM & INSIGHT
Many people in Aotearoa feel a growing desire to connect more deeply with te ao Māori (the Māori world), but don’t know where to begin. Indigenous art, media and storytelling are thriving, yet discovering these voices can be difficult if you don’t know where to look. A new generation of New Zealanders are on their own journeys of cultural connection and reconnection, searching for meaningful entry points into Māori creativity and culture.
CREATIVE CONCEPT
Together with Lizzie and Grace, two fellow Māori wāhine, I co-founded Te Arawhata to help make Māori art and media more accessible to all. We wanted to create a space that celebrates Indigenous voices while uplifting emerging artists and storytellers. In te reo Māori, Te Arawhata means “the bridge.” That’s exactly what we set out to build – a connecting bridge between people and te ao Māori, opening pathways to discovery, pride and cultural connection.
MY ROLE – CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTION
CONCEPT EXECUTION
We chose a simple, accessible format: a weekly curated newsletter celebrating the best of Māori creativity. Each edition spotlights Indigenous artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, events, podcasts, brands and products from across Aotearoa, connecting audiences directly with creators.
CREATIVE APPROACH
Our visual identity and tone of voice were designed to honour traditional Māori art within a contemporary digital space – warm, expressive and welcoming rather than corporate or distant. As in te ao Māori the visual language is always connected to the natural world of Aotearoa. The newsletter is written conversationally and from the heart, pairing creative curation with personal reflections on reconnection and cultural discovery, allowing readers to see themselves in the journey.
The platform continues to evolve, and we are currently developing a refreshed brand expression grounded even more deeply in te ao Māori.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Te Arawhata began as a deeply personal project. As three wāhine navigating our own journeys of cultural reconnection – including reconnecting with my Ngāpuhi roots – we built the platform alongside our readers, learning, growing and reconnecting together in a world where Indigenous voices have long been underrepresented.
What started as a passion project has become a community space driven by aroha, pride and shared discovery. Being able to connect directly with Indigenous creators, amplify their voices, and pass those connections forward to thousands of people is what makes this work especially meaningful to me.
RESULT
With the support of a New Zealand government creative grant designed to uplift te ao Māori, Te Arawhata launched and rapidly grew its community. Today, the platform reaches 10,000+ weekly subscribers with an exceptional 75% open rate, continuing to grow each week.
“The most beautiful piece I have read in a long time. Whaakaro like this helps those that may be totally disconnected, starting out or even coming across those that deem you not Māori enough that they aren't alone.”
“I just love all of this. So much. These pānui are my favourite - Ka nui te mihi team Te Arawhata!”
"This Pākehā is feeling a bit weepy over all the sad and wonderful stories. You were good before so you can't be gooder, must be pai rawa atu."