Origins of the Takitimu Waka

Takitimu is a custom illustrated, bilingual educational publication developed for Atea a Rangi Educational Trust, translating the historical journey of the Takitimu waka into a visual storytelling format for intermediate-aged learners (approximately 10–13 years; Māori, Pasifika, and European students). It was designed to support historical understanding and bilingual literacy by making complex cultural material more accessible through narrative sequencing, illustrated scenes, and age-appropriate page design.

A key strategic decision was to develop the story as a graphic novel first, so the illustrations would form a reusable visual base for later educational outputs rather than a single stand-alone deliverable. The central challenge followed from the material itself: the Takitimu story spans many people, places, and moments, and it had to be carried without overwhelming younger readers - while the bilingual layout needed Te Reo Māori and English to share the page without reducing readability or disrupting the flow of the story.

• Core Deliverables: Two bilingual books in Te Reo Māori and English; an 18-page illustrated graphic novel; custom cover artwork; 4–6 pages of introductory or contextual content; 4 pages of cover and back-cover layouts; A4 layouts prepared for both web and print-ready production
• Included Services: Collaboration with a professional writer for narrative development; historical research on the Takitimu waka and associated people, places, and taonga; script development and refinement; bilingual content support; logo design; printing advice and production preparation
• Audience: Intermediate-aged learners (approximately 10–13 years) - Māori, Pasifika, and European students; teachers and classroom contexts
• Format: Bilingual graphic novel and educational resource publication
• Timeframe: September 2024 · approximately 38 weeks
• Key Requirements: Cultural and historical accuracy, age-appropriate narrative and design, readable bilingual layout
• Service Connection: Comic Books, Publishing, Visual Design, Educational resources, IP Creation and Story Development, Strategic Communication

Māui Studios applied a story-first development process combining cultural research, script refinement, world-building, and page design, structuring the narrative around key moments in the Takitimu journey so the history unfolded as a visual story rather than a static text resource. Character concepts, environmental scenes, and historical references were developed for consistency and clarity; page compositions were planned for student readability; and bilingual hierarchy and typography were handled so both languages integrated without overcrowding the layouts.

The result is a culturally rich, visually compelling bilingual learning resource delivered for both digital and print use. Because the artwork was developed with reuse in mind, the project also established an illustration library - extending the value of the commission into a foundation for broader curriculum-aligned resources rather than ending with the publication itself.

The project was designed in line with established evidence rather than claiming unmeasured engagement uplift.

Intended Outcomes

• Support stronger engagement with waka migration histories and associated mātauranga
• Provide teachers and learners with a culturally grounded educational resource
• Strengthen opportunities for bilingual reading and discussion
• Increase the long-term value and educational scalability of the commission

Evidence Base

• Visual and multimodal storytelling formats such as graphic narratives can support literacy engagement and conceptual understanding, particularly for diverse learners (Farrar, 2024; Rapp, 2021)
• Bilingual and mother-tongue reading materials can support language and reading development for bilingual learners (Denston, McNaughton & Jesson, 2024; Leighton, Wills & Cunningham, 2022)
• Culturally relevant books in Aotearoa can engage children's linguistic repertoires and strengthen connection to language and identity (Barbour, Daly et al., 2025)

• Companion activity books
• Teacher support materials aligned to the publication
• Illustrated maps and historical reference sheets
• Motion or animated adaptations of the Takitimu narrative
• Interactive digital learning modules
• Wider distribution partnerships with schools, libraries, and kaupapa-based education initiatives

• Barbour, J., Daly, N., et al. (2025). Representations of te reo Māori and te ao Māori in Aotearoa picturebooks. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01434632.2025.2572441
• Denston, A., McNaughton, S., & Jesson, R. (2024). A better start to literacy for bilingual children in New Zealand. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13670050.2024.2338102
• Farrar, J. (2024). Thinking and learning through images. Education 3–13. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03004279.2024.2357892
• Leighton, M., Wills, A., & Cunningham, A. (2022). Mother tongue reading materials as a bridge to literacy. International Journal of Educational Development, 95, 102671. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775722000851
• Rapp, D. N. (2021). Measuring the educational value of comic books from a non-fiction perspective. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0961000620983430