ABOUT NGATI POROU
KO WAI MATOU? WE ARE NGATI POROU
Ngati Porou Wear. is more than a clothing brand — it is a declaration of identity, a celebration of whakapapa, and a living expression of who we are as uri of Ngati Porou.
Created by Ngati Porou, for Ngati Porou, every design, every pattern, every thread carries the stories of our people, our whenua, and our tikanga. Our clothing is crafted to honour where we come from and to strengthen the connection to who we are today.
The Ngati Porou brand mark was designed by Ta Derek Lardelli. It connects us to our whakapapa - of Hikurangi our maunga (mountain), Waiapu our awa (river) and Ngati Porou our iwi (tribe). It acknowledges our tipuna Māui Pōtiki and Paikea and inspires us to work hard, seek knowledge, remember loved ones and be proud to walk together as Ngati Porou - i te ao, i te pō, i nga wā katoa.
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“Nati” is a term of endearment used for a particular kind of Ngati Porou person — not all Ngati Porou are Nati, and those who are carry a distinct identity shaped by whakapapa, place, and mindset. As expressed in Ta Apirana Ngata’s phrase “He wiwi nati, no Porourangi,” being Nati is tied to our ancestor Porourangi and to the spirit of Waiapu — a place that lives in our hearts, our land, and our environment. Nati are known as “he iwi moke,” independent thinkers who push boundaries and do things their own way, much like Maui slowing the sun — the original ‘daylight saving.’ In the end, there are two kinds of people: those who are Nati, and those who wish they were.”
This distinctive poutama design was introduced by Ta Apirana Ngata, representing our famous ancestor Porourangi. It honours our whakapapa and reminds us of our lineage as we walk in today’s world.