About

Kia ora, nau mai ki te whānau o Tūhono Design.

Ko wai mātou - Who are we
Ko Jay rāua ko Sarah ngā kaiārahi o Tūhono Design.
Jay and Sarah are the creators of Tūhono Design.

Jay:
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Pirongia te maunga
Ko Waipa te awa
Ko Ngāti Maniapoto te iwi
Ko Ngāti Te Kanawa me Ngāti Apakura nga hapū
Ko Kahotea me Rere-ā-manu ngā marae
Ko Jay Wanakore ahau
Mauri ora!

Sarah:
Ko Te Arawa te waka
Ko Tauhara te maunga
Ko Taupo-nui-a-tia te moana
Ko Ngāti Tūwharetoa te iwi
Ko Ngāti Rauhoto te hapū
Ko Nukuhau te marae
Ko Sarah Wanakore-Chase ahau
Tena koutou katoa!

Everyone has their own journey of reclaiming and helping to revive our reo Māori. Jay was fortunate enough to grow up in te ao Maōri with te reo Māori being his first language. He went through kohanga reo (Māori pre-school), kura kaupapa Māori (total immersion Māori primary), and wharekura (total immersion Māori high school).

As a second language learner, Sarah has spent the last 8 years learning te reo Māori whilst raising their four children, and it was through them that she was able to work and learn through their kohanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori. She is currently in the final stages of completing her reo Māori course through Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

Since choosing that same path their tamarki to be raised in te ao Māori, they have always wanted to create a kaupapa that helps to normalise te reo Māori so that their tamariki can grow up in a world that gives them options and opportunities to stay connected to their Māoritanga.

Tūhono Design is all about creating everyday home and living products and resources to bring “more Māoritanga into your whare, your home”. Because as you know, our whare is the place where we can nurture, educate and empower our own whānau to learn, speak and essentially share our reo Māori with the world.

Tūhono meaning:
Verb: Tūhono (-a,-ngia) to join, bond, attach, connect.

As Māori our core values are:
Manaakitanga - Hospitality, kindness.
Whakawhanaungatanga - relationship building.
Aroha - Love,caring.
Kotahitanga - Unity, togetherness.

All these values are centred around connection and being connected to others.
This is what we want you to feel, share and experience with Tūhono Design.

Thank you for supporting and joining our journey.
Nei te mihi maioha ki a koe.