To celebrate our connection with each other and the essence of whānau, Kidsfirst has developed a series of patterns based on the tradition of kowhaiwhai. Kowhaiwhai are linked to a sense of place, of family and heritage. It’s something we’ve adopted in our own Kidsfirst style. Ours are not traditional patterns but our own respectful evolution of the idea behind them and a desire to keeping moving forward in positive and exciting ways. There are our bold shapes and vibrant colours, but there’s also the recognition of a shared culture, a strong past and a bright, supportive future. 
TĀTAU TĀTAU COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY About the pattern; The ‘twist’ in our pattern represents the joining of people and cultures – a collectiveness – a sharing and togetherness. It suggests the concept of moving away but always returning. Meanwhile the colour variations represent each individual, group or ethnicity – all drawn together to work as one. The palette captures some of our geography, referencing the sun, warmth, nurturing, and the land and sky. 
MANAAKITANGA CARING About the pattern; The symbolic whale tail at the centre of the pattern indicates family and love. There is the inference of the mother and calf, side by side. It is representative of caring and partnership. There are also the over-reaching, protecting and the underlaying, nurturing and supporting curves. Then there’s the circle of life, enclosing, embracing. And the colours reflect
the integration of the sky and land - the growth of the forest, reaching up to the sky. 
WHAKAMANA ENABLEMENT About the pattern; Look closely and you’ll see pieces of the tiki - the teacher of all things, with great inner knowledge and strength of character. There are elements of joining and connectivity. Those same shapes also bring to mind the dolphin, with ideas of harmony and play and friendship. The colours inspire vibrancy, youth and joy. They are the colours of a sunrise, a new day, a new potential. 
WHAI WĀHITANGA PARTICIPATION About the pattern; There’s the progression and growth along a timeline, with the koru circles enclosing and embracing, the new birth of the fern frond. There’s also the reference to the strength of a loving relationship within a family/whānau. The circles of the young. It’s starting and continuing a journey. There’s involvement, partnership, togetherness...with everything intertwined and continuous. The interconnection also brings to mind our rolling waves and verdant pastures, between mountains and the plains, sea and sky. The traditional hook shape is also present in a pattern that is repetitive, growing and ever moving forward. 
WHAKATAKATO TĀTORO PLANNING About the pattern; The interlocking of the Koru with other symbols represents strength, purity and love within the family/whānau. The hei matau or fish hook offers safety and abundance and
represents the skills, planning and strategies for providing sustenance for the family/whānau. Again, in this pattern, there are the circles of life, the gathering of individuals to co-ordinate, plan and create. And there’s the green of growth, prosperity and the constant lifecycle of families and whānau winding through the broken but seamless chain of continuity. 
MANA TIAKI GUARDIANSHIP About the pattern; This is all about joining, coming together, cohesiveness. There’s the circle of life - enclosing, with the linking of love, new life, closeness. The two circles represent partnerships, the old nurturing the young, succession and support. In our colours, blue is for the wide open sky and sea, of our two coasts. Green for our precious land, the forests of the West Coast and the wheat for the Canterbury Plains. Across our entire Kidsfirst whānau network - north to Rangiora, south to Central Otago, east to Diamond Harbour and west to Franz Josef - we like to think our patterns, based on the traditions of kowhaiwhai, encompass what we stand for and help to express who we are. | 
