Ka rongo ana au I te korero – “Ka whaangai I te iwi. Ahakoa ko wai”, ko te pohewa ka whakaarohia tuatahitia ko te ‘kai’. Moo te tohu kua taangia nei, kua whaarite ngaa rauemi a Ngaati Hauaa Tribal Trust ki te kai. Kia tutuki I te ia o ngaa korero kua whakamahia ko te ‘Paataka Kai’ hei ariaa. Ko te paataka kai e kii ana ki te kai he tohu hiirangaranga ki a Ngaai Maaori, he tohu e ora pai ana te iwi.

Peeraa ki te whare tupuna, kua whakaahuangia te paataka kai nei ki te tupuna a Hauaa. Ko te kooruru o runga, ko toona mata, ko ngaa maihi e toro whakararo ana, ko ngoona ringaringa e raahiri ana I te iwi, ahakoa ko wai, ki te kai I ngaa kai naana anoo I whakatupu,I penapena hei oranga tonutanga. Peeraa I a Ngaati Hauaa Tribal Trust, ka whaangai I te iwi, ahakoa ko wai, ki ngaa rauemi naana anoo I whakatupu, I penapena hei oranga tonu tanga.

When I hear the mission statement – “Ka whaangai I te iwi. Ahakoa ko wai”, immediately, food is the image that appears in thought. As such, for the purpose of this design, Ngaati Hauaa Tribal Trust’s resources are likened to food. To capture the essence of the mission statement, the concept chose is that of the traditional ‘Food Store’. To Māori, a food store full of food is a great sign that a tribe is thriving and well.

Just like the ancestral house, this food store embodies Hauaa. The carved face on the gable is that of Hauaa, the bargeboards extending downwards symbolises his arms and hands that welcome the tribe, no matter who, to gain sustenance from the food that he himself has grown and stored. Just like that of Ngaati Hauaa Tribal Trust who will provide for the tribe, no matter who, the resources grown and stored.