On March 25th, 2026, ARA Group NZ marked a significant milestone with the blessing and unveiling of Ngā Hau e Whā – The Four Winds artwork at its Timothy Place Head Office.
Staff from most New Zealand businesses were present, alongside Founder and CEO Ed Federman and three Managing Directors from Australia, making the occasion a meaningful moment of connection across the wider ARA Group.
The unveiling was led by the artwork’s creator, Māori artist and graphic designer Richard Murray, who spoke to the meaning behind Ngā Hau e Whā and the collaborative process undertaken by the New Zealand General Managers to bring the final piece to life.
In this work, Richard has visually interpreted the ARA Group and family through Māori designs, patterns, and concepts. Translated, Ngā Hau e Whā means The Four Winds. In Māori tradition, the four primary winds are te hau raki (northerly), te hau rāwhiti (easterly), te hau-ā-uru (westerly), and te hau tonga (southerly).
Each of the four winds is represented flowing within a central circle and interpreted as manaia — traditional Māori symbols of guardianship portrayed with bird heads and wing-shaped bodies. Within each manaia are three distinctive koru (spiral patterns), representing the company’s past, present, and future, as well as the guiding values and principles of Tika (Integrity), Pono (Truth), and Aroha (Empathy/Love).
Ngā Hau e Whā is also a proverb acknowledging the four winds that come from the four corners of the world, encompassing all cultures, ethnicities, and people. The concept recognises diversity while celebrating the connection and commonalities we share with one another. The four corners are reflected in each segment of the square surrounding the circle, symbolising the world.
The colour palette incorporates ARA’s brand colours, with secondary tones representing Earth (brown, yellow, tan), Sky (blue), Sea (green), and People (red). The four primary colours also reference the classical elements of Water, Fire, Air, and Earth — the fundamental building blocks of the natural world.
Created to reflect the ARA Group identity, Ngā Hau e Whā – The Four Winds acknowledges the diverse, multicultural, and unique services delivered by the ARA Group across Australia and New Zealand, Aotearoa. The concepts of the four winds mirror the qualities and values of ARA, its staff, clients, and the communities it serves, while also portraying the organisation’s four operational divisions.
The artwork complements ARA’s values of Integrity, Truth and Honesty, and Love and Empathy in how we treat people. It reflects the shared journeys of New Zealanders — whether our own or those of our ancestors — who arrived from many ports around the world to start new lives here. As a visible expression of this commitment, Ngā Hau e Whā will be displayed across all ARA branches throughout New Zealand.
About the Artist – Richard Murray
Richard Murray is a Māori artist and graphic designer from the Far North of Aotearoa. He specialises in creating digital visual interpretations by applying indigenous artistic styles and methodologies.
Richard currently works as a Community Advisor and has an extensive work history in the social services sector, delivering programmes for families and youth. He has created works for numerous corporations, businesses, community groups, and organisations across a wide range of sectors for many years.
