Whats behind Aotearoa Dive's slogan?
We’re often asked about the meaning behind the Aotearoa Dive logo, and what our slogan — “one planet, different world” — truly represents. In this blog, we want to share more about the deep and meaningful story behind both, what they mean to us and explain what makes Aotearoa Dive so uniquely distinct within the dive industry.
When a diver slips beneath the surface, ka ruku ki raro i te wai, something extraordinary happens. The noise of everyday life fades, familiar landscapes disappear, and an entirely new world opens before your eyes. This transformation—stepping from the known into te ao rerekē i raro i te wai—is at the heart of Aotearoa Dive’s identity.
This is why we proudly carry the slogan: “One Planet, Different World.”
One Planet — Te Ao kotahi
The first part of our slogan, One Planet, grounds us in the truth that everything above and below the surface is connected. Our oceans (moana), lakes (roto), rivers (awa), forests (ngahere), and communities all live within the same fragile sphere: te ao.
Whether we dive the Oceans or the Lakes, we are still exploring the same singular planet—te aō kotahi.
For Aotearoa Dive, this phrase is also a promise of manaakitanga. It reminds us of our responsibility to care for te taiao (the natural world) and respect the cultural values and stories of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Every diver becomes a guardian of the places we visit.
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Different World — te ao rerekē
Yet every diver knows the moment you descend—ka heke ki te hōhonu—another world reveals itself.
Light bends.
Colours change.
Sound softens.
Creatures move with patterns found nowhere on land.
This is the essence of Different World. It’s the magic and mystery of the underwater realm: a world that feels separate from the one we walk on every day, yet it lies just below the surface..
For new divers, this world is a revelation.
For seasoned divers, it is a sanctuary.
For all of us, it is a reminder to enter with humility, respect, and awe.
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Aotearoa’s Unique Spirit — Te Wairua Motuhake o Aotearoa
Few places on Earth offer such dramatic contrast between the land and underwater realms as Aotearoa. One moment you’re surrounded by bush-covered cliffs and volcanic geology; the next, you’re gliding through kelp forests, lava rock formations, freshwater caverns, and ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth.
Our tagline acknowledges this contrast.
Our logo embodies it.
Our training philosophy protects it.
Aotearoa Dive celebrates the idea that while we live on one planet, exploring underwater feels like stepping into a different world.
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More Than a Motto — He Kaupapa Matua
“One Planet, Different World” is not just a catchy line. It’s our worldview—Ko te ao e tirohia nei e mātou:
• We respect the planet we share — whakaute ki te ao.
• We explore worlds many never see — tirohia i ngā ao huna.
• We protect the environments we love — manaakitia te tāiao.
• We inspire others through education and adventure — whakaohooho te mātauranga mē tē matātoa.
The slogan is an invitation: Haere mai. Ruku mai. Tirohia te ao rerekē i raro i te wai—ā, manaakitia tē ao kotahi.
How Our Logo & Colours Reflect This Philosophy — Te Tikanga o Tā Mātou Tohu
Aotearoa Dive’s logo is not just graphic design.
It is whakapapa. kōrero. tikanga.
A visual story linking the world above to the world below.
The Manaia — Tē Kai arahi
At the heart of our logo sits the Manaia, a traditional Māori guardian figure representing balance between:
• Rangi — the sky
• Papatūānuku — the earth
• Te Moana — the sea
The Manaia shown in profile stands half in our world, half in the other world, between physical and spiritual realms, symbolising protection, guidance, and awareness.
For us, it reflects the diver’s role as a kaitiaki—a guardian of the underwater world.
Global Diver Symbol — Te Kara Ruku
Hidden within the design is the international red-and-white diver-down flag.
This connects us to the global diving community and represents safety, training excellence, and professionalism.
Sub Aquatic Specialists - Reflects our commitment to high quality training, deep respect for the underwater world, and our expertise as divers and educators.
Our Colours — Ā mātou kākano
Each colour in our logo carries deep cultural meaning:
Whero (Red) — Te Whei Ao
Symbolising “coming into being.”
It represents Papatūānuku and the life she sustains.
Pango (Black) — Te Kore
The realm of beginnings and potential.
A reminder of the long darkness from which the world emerged.
Mā (light/White) — Te Ao Mārama
The world of light and clarity, created when Ranginui and Papatūānuku were separated.
It represents purity, enlightenment, and the physical world we explore.
The white also nods to the “long white cloud” — Hē aō hē aō hē Aotearoa.
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Bringing It All Together — Whakakotahi tē katoa
When combined, these elements tell the full story:
• The Manaia — our guardian.
• The Diver Flag — our global connection.
• The Colours — our cultural origins and the creation story.
• The Slogan — our philosophy: Kō tãtou rapunga whakaaro
Kei roto I te moana, e whakakotahi ai.
Aotearoa Dive’s identity honours our environment, our culture, and the extraordinary underwater world we are privileged to explore...
or as we like to say "One Planet - Different World"...
