Our name  

In 2022, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) was proud to announce a new te reo Māori ingoa (name) for the New Zealand International Education Conference (NZIEC).   

The name is NZIEC KI TUA.  

Click here to check out a video and learn more about KI TUA.   

Inspiration  

KI TUA takes inspiration from the following whakataukī:   

He rā ki tua.   

Look positively toward the future,  Better times are coming.  

KI TUA is not about returning to the ‘status quo’. It is about reconnecting to the world, finding a fresh perspective and taking a new approach.   

Explanation  

The phrase ‘KI TUA’ is both literally and figuratively aspirational. The kupu (word) ‘TUA’ can translate to both ‘a place or area further beyond’, or ‘the other side of a solid body’. In a figurative sense, it translates to ‘in addition to’, or ‘as well as’.   

With the preposition ‘KI’ preceding it, which indicates motion towards something, KI TUA encourages us to seek a place beyond what we know now to reach our ‘pae tawhiti’ (distant horizons).   

It propels us forward into the future, into a different ‘time and space’, providing us with the opportunity to seek alternative solutions, particularly as we recover from the global pandemic.   

The rationale  

The adoption of NZIEC KI TUA reflects ENZ’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Maihi Karauna, the Crown’s Strategy for Māori Language Revitalisation. 

Our new name of NZIEC KI TUA also reflects Aotearoa New Zealand’s distinct cultural identity and the importance of continuing to develop our sector’s annual conference. 

Underpinning values  

ENZ took a Māori-led approach to the development of the name and worked with Māori-owned creative agency, RUN, to bring this to life.   

From the onset, we considered and incorporated these values which we considered important for the NZIEC kaupapa:  

• Hononga: Connections 
• Māramatanga: Enlightenment 
• Wero: Challenge 
• Ārahitia: Direction/Leadership. 

Extending the existing brand  

The new name will be used alongside the well-known NZIEC brand as NZIEC KI TUA.   In sitting alongside the existing NZIEC brand, the te reo Māori ingoa extends its value proposition and makes it more purposeful.   It speaks to the value of the NZIEC KI TUA as New Zealand’s pre-eminent annual event for international education in preparing you for the future.  

The Niho

The Niho

The niho (notches) represented in the design of KI TUA reflect our sector’s journey – particularly over the last two years – and how we have had to pivot.   The niho take inspiration from the Solari boards traditionally used to show departures and arrivals in train stations and airports. It speaks to the movement and everchanging landscape that our sector embraces.  

Rauponga

The treatment or design used on the logo is called rauponga. 

In the brand element, the two rows of raumoa takitoru (three ridges) metaphorically represent Ranginui (the sky father), Papatūānuku (the earth mother), and the space between them, Te Ao Mārama (the world of human life).   

It references the relationship between mana whenua (people of the land) and manuhiri (visitors). Mana whenua are on Papatūānuku when manuhiri arrive from Ranginui, then exchange takes place in the shared space of Te Ao Mārama – this is where enlightenment happens, where knowledge is shared and gained.   

The relationship between Rangi and Papa can also be seen in the movement of wai (water) as it circulates between both entities. In the creation narrative, Rangi continues to cry for Papa in the form of rain falling from the skies, and Papa reciprocates when hot air rises from the ground to be cooled in the atmosphere again becoming rain and the metaphorical tears of Rangi. This relates to the notion of an ‘inbound’ and ‘outbound’ flow of knowledge promoted by this kaupapa.   

To the future  

The KI TUA brand was first used throughout NZIEC KI TUA 2022. Further elements of the new brand – including three focus areas of Ki Tua, Ki Uta and Ki Tai – were rolled out during NZIEC KI TUA 2023. Keep an eye out as we look to the future – KI TUA!