Visual echoes of Bastion Point recall the declarations of sovereignty and the nation-defining covenants of Te Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This tile symbolises struggle, unity, and the ongoing pursuit of justice.
Te Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni was a declaration of presence, a gathering of rangatira from across the motu who recognised that immense social change was arriving with the Pākehā. It was an act of unity among sovereigns, each asserting their mana while also acknowledging the need to stand together. It was not simply a political statement but a vision for survival and flourishing in a world that was shifting beneath their feet.
When Te Tiriti o Waitangi followed, our ancestors entered with generosity of spirit. Article 1, in its truest heart, was an invitation to recognise one another’s sovereignty — Māori and Pākehā standing as equals, acknowledging the mana of both worlds. Article 2 was the ambition to play together, to share the whenua and the abundance it yields without extinguishing the rights of one another. Article 3 was the pledge of protection, of keeping each other safe, of binding our futures so that we might not stand alone but stay together.
StoryTile - Te Whakaputanga
StoryTiles transform walls into living stories. Each panel carries deep indigenous narratives — from celestial connections and ancestral wisdom to nation-shaping histories and pathways of mastery. Designed to rotate and combine, they offer endless storytelling possibilities: a single tile as a striking artwork, or many tiles joined as a StoryWall. Made in Aotearoa from recycled materials, StoryTiles merge cultural resonance with environmental conscience, bringing beauty, warmth, and meaning into everyday spaces.
StoryTiles are modular 1.2m x 1.2m acoustic art panels built on the Autex Cube™ system, a semi-rigid polyester panel made from at least 80% recycled PET bottles. They serve as both standalone cultural artworks and scalable wall solutions, depending on configuration:
-
1 StoryTile functions as an art piece.
-
2 or more StoryTiles become a StoryWall, delivering immersive cultural narratives.
-
Each StoryTile can rotate in four ways, creating multiple interpretations of indigenous stories.
-
A neutral, unprinted tile offers a more conservative option in large-scale installations. This tile is called a ChillTile.
Why a StoryTile exists: To integrate indigenous narrative, sustainable practice, and high-performance acoustics into architectural design — transforming surfaces into meaningful cultural canvases.
-
StoryTiles are available in one timeless design, offered with a choice of four distinctive backgrounds — Crimson Christmas, Ocean Deep, New Zealand Native, and Seaspray — each reflecting the spirit of the season and the coastal world of the pōhutukawa.