Young artists shine in Te Tiriti T-shirt competition

Published on 25 March 2026

Children from across the District have shared their creativity and thoughts about Aotearoa's founding document in a special Te Tiriti o Waitangi T-shirt design competition at the Central Library. 

The event, open to tamariki aged 5 to 14, asked young people to illustrate what Te Tiriti means to them. Entries featured themes of unity, peace, aroha and kotahitanga.

Māori Services Librarian Moana Rankin says eight standout designs were selected, with each winner receiving a custom-made T-shirt printed with their artwork.

"The competition was about giving the younger generation a voice to explain their thoughts on Te Tiriti o Waitangi," she says. "It was a positive way of highlighting Te Tiriti, free from any political agenda that can surround it in the adult world."

She says many entries featured kiwi birds, reflecting a common message of "one Kiwi people" that came through in the artworks.

The competition was hosted within Te Puawānanga, a space at the Central Library that houses fiction and non-fiction works by Māori and other indigenous authors.

The collection includes books on history, science, education, health and the arts, as well as a children's section offering te reo Māori and bilingual books.

"It's a welcoming space where you can come in and have a browse, borrow books, or read to your mokopuna," Moana says.

"It's also a gathering place. On Tuesdays, we hold a te reo Māori class and on Wednesdays, we hold a weaving class."