Terenga tohorā, terenga tangata – Where whales go, people follow  Tohorā move across vast distances, connected to the natural world, connecting places and pathways.  For the ancestors of Māori, tohorā were prized for making tools and adornments. They were also an important environmental marker – guiding movement across the ocean, signalling direction, and the time to journey, and ultimately supporting Māori arrival in Aotearoa.   Over time, these same patterns of movement were observed by whalers and traders, drawing them to these shores.   For both societies, the whales represented ways of organising value and exchanging wealth, and part of a transition between the systems.    Today, the relationship has shifted again. Tohorā are protected, and the emphasis has moved toward care, responsibility, and balance within a wider system.  This progression – from guidance, to exchange, to stewardship – reflects how systems evolve.   Through this, we see a payments future for Aotearoa built by all of us, to be trusted, aligned, and enduring.  You’ll see more of the whale as this year’s conference gets closer. 

We acknowledge our concept and design partners, Haumi, for helping to create a visual identity for The Point 2026 intended to both reflect and inspire our industry, whilst always taking care and responsibility for mana tuku iho (inherited knowledge passed down through generations, in accordance with tikanga).