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Story: Herons

Commemorative tea towel

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Commemorative tea towel

On 6 February 1990 New Zealand celebrated the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. A white heron, or kōtuku, was chosen as the official symbol, designed by carver Fred Graham and graphic artist Roy Good. Like all New Zealanders, the heron’s origins are in other lands.

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How to cite this page

Gerard Hutching, Herons – White herons – kōtuku, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/object/6425/commemorative-tea-towel (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Gerard Hutching, published 2 March 2009.