Māori creativity, whakapapa and Indigenous storytelling are taking centre stage, with award-winning designer Tyrone Ohia recognised as one of Aotearoa’s leading creative voices after receiving the prestigious 2026 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate Design Award.
Ohia, the founder of Extended Whānau and an influential creative director, has been recognised with the Design Award gifted by The Crane Foundation, acknowledging his contribution to shaping the visual identity of Aotearoa through work grounded in Māori knowledge, cultural narratives and contemporary design.
His recognition highlights the growing influence of Māori designers in industries ranging from branding and visual communication to cultural storytelling and creative leadership.
Ohia joins Radio Waatea to discuss his creative journey, the significance of the award and why Indigenous perspectives are essential to the future of design in Aotearoa.
Design Grounded in Whakapapa
For Ohia, design is about more than creating something visually appealing.
His work explores how cultural identity, whakapapa and storytelling can inform the way people, organisations and communities communicate who they are.
Through Extended Whānau, Ohia has developed a creative practice that brings Indigenous thinking into contemporary design, challenging conventional approaches to branding and visual identity.
The approach recognises that design can carry cultural meaning, communicate histories and strengthen the connections between people and place.
In a country where Māori culture is increasingly visible across public spaces, institutions and commercial brands, questions about cultural authenticity, ownership and representation have become increasingly important.
Ohia’s work contributes to a wider conversation about how Māori knowledge can be reflected in design without reducing cultural identity to decorative imagery.
A Prestigious Recognition for Māori Creativity
The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate Awards recognise artists whose work has made a significant contribution to Aotearoa’s cultural landscape.
Receiving the 2026 Design Award places Ohia among creative practitioners recognised for their artistic leadership and influence.
For Māori designers, recognition at this level also reflects the increasing prominence of Indigenous approaches within the creative sector.
Māori visual expression has long been embedded in whakairo, raranga, tukutuku, tā moko and other forms of cultural practice.
Contemporary designers are building on that knowledge while developing new approaches suited to digital media, public communication, architecture, branding and emerging technologies.
The challenge is ensuring that cultural knowledge remains connected to the communities from which it originates.
Extended Whānau and a Different Approach to Creative Practice
As founder of Extended Whānau, Ohia has positioned relationships, collaboration and Indigenous values at the centre of his creative work.
The name itself reflects the importance of connection and collective identity.
Rather than treating design solely as a commercial product, his approach invites consideration of the people, histories and cultural responsibilities behind creative decisions.
This has particular relevance for organisations seeking to incorporate Māori identity into their public presence.
Meaningful cultural representation requires more than the use of Māori words, patterns or symbols.
It involves understanding context, respecting tikanga and recognising the knowledge and authority of the communities whose stories are being represented.
The broader discussion also raises questions about intellectual property, cultural appropriation and the role of Māori designers in determining how Indigenous identity is presented.
Shaping the Visual Identity of Aotearoa
Design influences how people experience the world around them.
From public signage and digital platforms to national campaigns, corporate identities and community initiatives, visual communication plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions.
For Aotearoa, the growing visibility of Māori language and cultural expression creates opportunities to develop a distinctive national design identity.
However, those opportunities also carry responsibilities.
The use of Indigenous knowledge in design must be approached with care, particularly when cultural narratives or symbols have specific whakapapa and meaning.
Ohia’s recognition provides an opportunity to examine how contemporary design can reflect Aotearoa’s identity while maintaining the integrity of Māori cultural knowledge.
It also highlights the importance of Māori creative leadership in decisions about how that identity is expressed.
Opening Doors for Rangatahi Māori
The success of Māori designers such as Ohia can also help broaden perceptions of career opportunities for rangatahi.
The creative industries encompass graphic design, animation, digital technology, filmmaking, advertising, architecture, fashion and many other disciplines.
For young Māori interested in these fields, seeing Indigenous knowledge recognised as a source of creative strength can be particularly significant.
It challenges the idea that cultural identity must be separated from professional or commercial success.
Instead, it demonstrates how whakapapa, language and cultural understanding can contribute to innovative approaches and distinctive creative work.
There are also wider questions about access to creative education, mentoring, industry networks and funding for emerging Māori practitioners.
Ensuring rangatahi have opportunities to develop their skills while remaining connected to their cultural identity will be important for the future of the sector.
Tyrone Ohia Joins Radio Waatea
Tyrone Ohia joins Radio Waatea to reflect on receiving the 2026 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate Design Award, his journey as a Māori creative leader and the philosophy behind Extended Whānau.
The conversation will explore how whakapapa and Indigenous storytelling influence his work, why cultural authenticity matters and how Māori designers are helping shape the country’s contemporary visual identity.
It will also examine the opportunities for rangatahi Māori entering the creative industries and the importance of ensuring Indigenous knowledge is respected as design continues to evolve.
At the heart of Ohia’s work is a powerful idea: design is not simply about what people see, but about the stories, relationships and cultural identities that give those images meaning.
His recognition is another opportunity to celebrate Māori creativity and the contribution Indigenous designers are making to the cultural landscape of Aotearoa.
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