New Zealand Breakers 26/27 Indigenous Jersey

Artist: Tikirau Hathaway

Tikirau (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi) is one of Haumi’s emerging designers, a young creative whose work reflects both a structural clarity and the fluidity of the world around him.
A graduate of the Bachelor of Creative Enterprise (2019) at Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka Unitech and a product of Kura Kaupapa Māori (te reo Māori-immersed education), Tikirau brings a distinctly Aotearoa perspective to his creative process. His upbringing and education instilled in him not only language and cultural grounding, but also a way of thinking that recognises relationships – between people, ideas, and the taiao (natural world).
Tikirau has an instinctive ability to find alignment and logic within complexity. He approaches design with a mathematically attuned mind, often exploring the tension between the ordered geometries of human systems and the more fluid, living patterns of the taiao. This interplay gives his work both discipline and movement.
Beyond design, Tikirau is creatively diverse. He has performed as a lead actor in a New Zealand feature film and maintains a deep connection to music, creative practices that continue to influence the rhythm, composition, and expression within his design work.
At the heart of Tikirau’s practice is a commitment to the revitalisation of toi Māori (Māori creative practice) in Aotearoa. Through contemporary design he contributes to a growing generation of creatives who are carrying cultural knowledge forward – giving new form to inherited ideas while ensuring they remain relevant, visible, and alive.

Jersey Design:

Kahupapa

A kahupapa is a fleet or formation of waka and, symbolically, 
a group working together for a collective outcome. Kahupapa, the BNZ Breakers NBL27 Indigenous jersey, expresses Aotearoa identity through the idea of collective movement. Two manaia meet face to face, figures in profile that connect to form a single forward-facing head. The two figures represent diversity – different backgrounds and perspectives, thinking together and moving in unison. Difference is not removed; it is aligned. Like a kahupapa, the united manaia show how 
a group of individuals can operate as a unified, agile form with coordination, trust, 
and shared purpose.

The meaning of manaia, to ‘mana-a-ia’ or elevate the person, sits at the core. 
The wearer is the one being elevated. The jersey is not passive; it carries 
responsibility alongside performance. The central figure draws from the ocean domain of Tangaroa. Its inverted form, head below and legs above, suggests diving beneath the surface. It speaks to depth, unseen knowledge, and the discipline to push through mental and physical barriers. This aligns with the team’s name: like waves that build, crest, and break, players think, move, and work together to apply pressure, shift momentum, and break through obstacles.

Manu are integrated along the seams and tuarā, or ridgeline. They reference the birds that waka follow to find land, and the ability of the kahupapa to read movement and conditions. For the NZ Breakers, this reflects the notion of travel, timing, structure, and awareness. The ridgeline acts as a spine, reinforcing the themes of direction, cohesion, and alignment.

The ocean underpins the design. At the water’s edge, breaking waves mark the place where energy gathers and releases. This is the ihi moana: the inherent energy of Tangaroa, the character of Aotearoa – adaptive, resilient, and looking out. To be a BNZ Breaker is to meet that threshold with intent: to read it, move with it, and push through.

Champion brings its signature quality to the court with the . Engineered for elite performance, this jersey is built to match the intensity of the game. Constructed from premium 220GSM fabric, it delivers durability and comfort whether you're hitting the hardwood or showing your support from the stands. Featuring team wordmarks, player names and numbers in premium fabric appliqués, sublimated NBL and Optus logos, and authentic detailing throughout, this jersey is designed to help you represent your team with pride.

- 220GSM fabric
- Sublimated NBL and Optus logos
- Team wordmarks, player names and numbers made of fabric appliques
- Arm and neck bands made of fabric ribbing
- Champion branded woven jock tag
- Side panel with split at front
- Fits true to size, size up for a looser fit