Te Whare o Rongo — The House of Peace

Sep 11, 2025

Te Whare o Rongo is a collection woven in honour of Rongo - the atua of peace, reconciliation and balance. Inspired by tukutuku, the woven lattice panels that line the walls of the wharenui, each blanket carries with it a story of connection, reflection and restoration.

A remembrance, and an invitation to seek peace within, restore balance in our homes and to honour the woven ties that bind us to one another.

The Design Intention

A tribute to the art of peace. Woven into the patterns of this collection are symbols of resilience, balance, self-care and wellbeing - each one an ornament of praise for the courageous peacemakers among us.

These are the people who pursue peace within, whose words and works echo outward, carrying the resounding power of rongo into the lives of others. To wrap yourself in these blankets is to wrap yourself in peace itself - to adorn the home, the heart and the mind with patterns that proclaim liberation from life’s constant struggle.

The Inspiration

Wharenui — the house of gathering
The wharenui is a place of deep encounter with carved pillars and woven panels depicting the stories of creation, genealogy and the natural world. It is here that we gather, deliberate, grieve and celebrate. It is here that we welcome guests and unite in purpose. Within its walls, Rongo presides - peace made manifest.

Tukutuku — woven walls of meaning
Tukutuku are ornamental panels created by weaving natural fibres through wooden slats. Each design holds meaning: honouring the natural environment, the cycles of life and the sustaining balance between people and place. They remind us that our wellbeing is always tied to the mana of the environment, te taiao, and to the relationships nurtured within the whare.

Rongo — the god of peace
Rongo is the reconciler, the advocate, the gatherer of people. He strengthens our resolve to find accord in our relationships, to pursue balance between ourselves, each other and the natural world.

Rongo is associated with the moon and the night sky - the timekeeper of ancient life, guiding both agriculture and the cycles of growth. He is also linked with our senses: hearing, feeling, tasting, perceiving. Rongo is love, calm, restoration.

In counterpoint to Tū, the atua of conflict and action, Rongo presides within the whare. If Tū governs the courtyard - the place of debate and confrontation - then Rongo governs the inner space, where peace reigns and harmony is restored. Together, they form a whole.

Launching 17.09.25

Founder's Notes

The seed of this collection was planted in an unexpected conversation.

"I reconnected with an old school friend, and when I asked the familiar question - “How are you?” - he paused. After a silence, he answered: “I’m tired and weary, but not defeated.”

That admission struck deep. His work in social service had placed him on the frontlines - defending human rights, supporting others’ self-determination, weathering the relentless conflicts of the world. He was weary, but still standing.

That truth reminded me of the wharenui, the house of Rongo. A place to retreat not in defeat, but in restoration. A safe haven where thoughts and emotions can be unburdened, where we can gather strength and where we emerge once again ready for the light of the world, Te Ao Mārama."

-Josh Te Kani

This collection is woven from that realisation: that peace is not passive. It is cultivated, protected and carried forward.

Launching 17.09.25