Symbolic changes

Interestingly, the TSB Community Trust and Te Karaka Foundation have rebranded within a fortnight of one another. TSB Community Trust is now the Toi Foundation while Te Karaka Foundation is the Taranaki Foundation. Ironically, TSB Community Trust has adopted a beautiful Ma¯ ori word: Toi (which captures its core values and strategic direction), whereas Te Karaka Foundation has dropped its indigenous tree name. Both rebrands, while superficially contrasting, were made to better represent the community plus be more inclusive. This also makes sense

when you examine their background. The community trust enjoys a high profile. It has disbursed more than $150 million into the region in the last 33 years. So the time was right to adopt a significant Ma¯ ori word based on its strapline, a thriving, inclusive, equitable Taranaki. Te Karaka Foundation founded in 2016 is less well known. That’s why it makes sense to rebrand it as the Taranaki Foundation. Te Karaka, though a mellifluous Ma¯ ori word, was hard to say. Let’s also not forget that Taranaki is also a Ma¯ ori word. It would be wrong to interpret the Toi Foundation as pivoting more to Ma¯ ori while the Taranaki Foundation was heading in the opposite direction so as to lift its profile. Both have similar values. I support the Toi Foundation’s aspiration to be more proactive in forging important

partnerships, especially involving tangata whenua. It would be wonderful if both foundations did more to address the desperate shortage of housing for the vulnerable in Taranaki.

Bryan Vickery, Strandon