Fresh From The Field — Hei Āhuru Mōwai – By Ira

2 years ago by

Fresh from the Field is a weekly article series sharing the fresh and inspiring work of our Design Assembly community.

This week the team at Ira walk us through their recent brand identity work for Hei Āhuru Mōwai.

Based off the Huia feather, a symbol for mana and leadership, the resulting brand identity brings together the three strategic priorities of research and insight, advocacy and leadership, and collective expertise.

Want to submit your own work to Fresh From The Field? Fill out the FFTF form here.

The Brief:

The name ‘Hei Āhuru Mōwai’ means ‘sheltered haven’, gifted to the Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa by Kingi Turner in 2012. It embodies their mission to provide a safe space for Māori cancer specialists to come together, wānanga and collectively address Maori cancer inequities.

Ira was brought on to support them with their brand identity.

The Design Response:

The design needed to respond to the name and purpose of the organisation — to create a safe and sheltered haven and be based on the Huia feather, which his a symbol of leadership.

The Huia feather as a motif brings together the three strategic priorities of research and insight, advocacy and leadership and collective expertise.

Forms from the feather logo were then used to create cultural patterns that reinforce the values of the brand. For example, the pātiki pattern which represents an interconnected community in harmony with people and place.

The Design Team:

Creative Direction – Johnson McKay
Design Director – Tim Hansen
Design – Niki Chu and Salem McKay
Animation – Malachi McKay
https://ira.nz/
@ira_aotearoa (Instagram)
@Ira.Aoteaoa (Facebook)
Ira Aotearoa (Linkedin)

The Client Team:

He Āhuru Mōwai – Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa
https://www.heiahurumowai.org.nz/

Tags : Fresh from the field

Fresh From The Field: Colab — By Studio South

Colab’s intriguing new brand identity has got our synapses firing! The brief Colab is a new online cohort platform for product professionals to learn, share, and grow. Unlike large boot […]

1 week ago by Natalie Iogha

Juno Gin 2025 Blank Canvas Artist Call

Continuing the remarkable success of previous Juno's Blank Canvas competitions, Juno is excited to invite artist submissions for our 2025 Limited Edition Seasonal Gin Releases.

1 week ago by Natalie Iogha

Fresh From The Field: Veesey — By Onfire Design

Spontaneous with a heavy dose of melty, cheesy goodness, Onfire Design share their recent branding work for Veesey. The Brief Veesey is combating the idea of being the ‘alternative’ to […]

3 weeks ago by Onfire Design

Fresh From The Field: Body Island / Motu Tinana — By Design Dairy

How do you express embodied cross-cultural, physical narratives, empowered through the imaginative sharing of art and life in a brand identity? Design Dairy dances us through the detail of their new work for Body Island/Motu Tinana.

4 weeks ago by Natalie Iogha