Native Council arranged for experienced Ngati Whatua artist Graham Tipene and Samoan designer Glorie Misa to provide us with key design elements that we incorporated into the design.

Our key representation is to capture the essence or mana of the organisation within the design to highlight the spirit or wairua of the team and its supporters.

The Niho (teeth) and Mangopare (hammerhead shark) elements within the design represent that go get-em’ attitude (the desire and staunchness, the bit of mongrel needed to win).

The puhoro design talks of the fluidity in the game and the style with which the Northern Mystics play. You may not notice, but on some of the puhoro designs there are seven triangles. These represent the years since the team first appeared 2008 – 2014.

The Pacific pattern through the main part of the uniform incorporates two motifs we have used that are traditional patterns found throughout the Pacific inspired by nature and can be found in tapa cloth designs, in wood and shell carvings, in Tatau (tattoo) and many other art forms of the Samoan and Pacific people.

These are also some of the most prevalent motifs and symbols in the South Pacific. It’s origins are widely held to be representative of a flower or manulua (two birds) motif and add a feminine element to the design.

These motifs represent across the different Pacific heritage and cultural views in Aotearoa and they highlight the strength to endure through time and change, as they are still being used and recognised today.