Koha is a vital concept in te ao Māori (the Māori world). It references the act of offering a gift or contribution as an expression of gratitude. Koha exists in both formal ceremony and everyday life.

Tungia Symonds-Kaihau (Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto) introduced an idea around the notion of koha by adding a macron over the ‘a’ to emphasise the second syllable hā. This addition extends the understanding of kohā to be a celebration of life and relationships within it, as ‘hā’ means the breath or essence of life.

Within this activation, kohā is interpreted as a reciprocal exchange acknowledging the relationships between cultural adornment, their makers and their wearers.
KOHĀ Moana brings the group’s taonga (treasures) back to the water to reconnect with this essential element. Each of the group relates their practice to aspects of the whenua (land) and moana (ocean). Taonga will be worn by local surfers in an act to physically connect to the water, replenishing and reaffirming the adornment’s connection to the natural world.