The unveiling of the University of Otago’s new logo has been hailed as a "milestone" moment in its evolution towards becoming more Te Tiriti-led.
About 300 people attended a special dawn ceremony yesterday as the new logo was revealed on the Dunedin campus’ St David St plinth, as part of a $1.3 million rebranding.
The name University of Otago remains, but the te reo name has changed to Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka — a metaphor meaning "a place of many firsts".
Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou upoko (head) Edward Ellison said the adoption of the te reo name was an "important step in the evolution of the university".
"It means our name is recognised, instead of being a transliteration without context.
"We see this as the university building on its foundations as being Te Tiriti-led.
"Off the back of working on this with the university, we have solidified relationships. There are many connections between Ōtākou and the university."
"It means quite a lot. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more paths being made, and a lot more engagement and connections."
Deputy vice-chancellor Māori Jacinta Ruru said the new te reo name would be used throughout the university’s engagements.
"It’s more than 150 years since we’ve done something as significant as this.
"We will be maintaining the University of Otago name, but over time Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka will be used in conjunction."
It was a "milestone" moment that built on all the engagement with runaka over the past few years.
The new tohu (symbol) drew inspiration from the Ōtākou channel in Otago Harbour and it was the culmination of years of discussion, she said.
The university will use the new brand in all communication and marketing and has already updated its online presence to reflect it.
The traditional crest will continue to be used in ceremonial and some other settings. A phased rollout of most physical signs will begin next year.
"It’s a name and logo that makes sense - it connects us to the land, and the whenua.
"There’s been a huge, deliberate, careful consultation over many years," Prof Ruru said.
Chancellor Stephen Higgs said the change was a visible marker on the university’s path to become Te Tiriti-led and to achieving the wider objectives in Vision 2040.
"There is work ahead to achieve our various strategic and operational ambitions, and the new brand is a clear signal of the type of institution we want to be — world-leading in teaching and research, unique, nationally and internationally connected, and supportive of all our staff and students."
The new brand was also revealed in ceremonies on the Christchurch and Wellington campuses yesterday.
What it means
The new design of the logo (tohu) represents the two-way current of the Ōtākou channel in Otago Harbour, which “has always brought life to and from the region - just as the university brings and shares knowledge across Aotearoa New Zealand”, the university says.
The design emphasises the importance of “relationships, reciprocity and the transmission of knowledge between generations”.
Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka is not a literal translation of University of Otago, but a metaphor meaning “a place of many firsts”, a nod to being the first university in New Zealand, as well as Otago’s achievements in education, research and academia.
Whakaihu waka is literally the “bow of the canoe that pierces the ocean, leaving a wake for others to follow”, and “invites Otago’s students to be leaders in their chosen pathways”.
