The Wellington Phoenix women are back in stripes for the upcoming Ninja A-League season.
The first women’s home kit designed by new apparel partner Dynasty Sport sees a return to our iconic yellow and black striped shirt, last worn by the women during the 2022-23 season.
The shirt will be matched with classic black shorts, made famous by the club’s first finals team.
As has been the case for the past three seasons, the women’s kit features the tohu gifted to the Phoenix by local iwi Te Āti Awa.
The tohu is woven into the black stripes while Te Raukura (the plume of white feathers), which is an important symbol to the tribes who affiliate to Te Āti Awa and other Taranaki iwi, once again takes centre stage on the front of the shirt.
OPPO is the front-of-shirt sponsor for the Phoenix women this season, with the global smart device brand signing on for a fifth season as one of the club’s principal partners.
The women’s replica shirt is available for pre-order now.
About the tohu gifted to the Wellington Phoenix:
Acclaimed designer Charmaine Love created a tohu on behalf of Te Āti Awa ki Te Whanganui a Tara in 2022. This taonga was gifted to the Wellington Phoenix and the design was first incorporated into the teams’ kits for the 2022-23 A-Leagues.
Te Raukura (the white feather or plume of white feathers) is centred on the front of the shirts. It is an important symbol to the tribes who affiliate to Te Āti Awa and other Taranaki Iwi. Te Raukura symbolises the peaceful resistance of their tupuna at Parihaka in the 1880s and the white feather is still worn by their descendants today. Te Raukura represents spiritual, physical, and communal harmony and unity. It is an acknowledgement of a higher spiritual power and is a symbol of faith, hope, and compassion for all.
Ngake and Whātaitai, the two taniwha of Wellington harbour Te Whanganui-a-Tara feature on either side of the tohu. Taniwha are mythical Māori creatures and guardians and represent mauri (life force) of a place in physical form and kaitiakitanga (guardianship).
A surrounding element of the tohu features koru (the unfurling new leaf of the ponga fern), symbolising new life, growth, strength and peace. The koru represents the whenua and tangata of Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
Ngaru (waves) and mangōpare (hammerhead shark) are also integrated in the tohu. The ngaru represents the cutting of the waves when waka travelled the waters of Te Whanganui-a-Tara. The mangōpare represents and symbolises strength, courage, determination, leadership and a fighting spirit, all values shared with the Wellington Phoenix.
The tohu also features Taranaki maunga which is hugely important to mana whenua and considered tapu.
