E ai ki a Pei Te Hurinui o Waikato-Maniapoto, nā Tāwhaki ngā toi huarewa i kakea ai, ka riro māi ai ngā Kete o te Mātauranga, ngā Whatu Kura, me te hiringa o te Mahara. Heria ai e ia he ipu wai. Ngēngē ana, hiainu ana, nā te waiora mai i aua ipu i whai ora, i whai ngoi ai a ia. Koia nei te tikanga o te ingoa nei, Te Ipu o te Mahara. Kei te whakairo nei te tohu Poutama, ngā pū raraunga, me the piki ake i a Papatuanuku (kākāriki) ki a Ranginui (kikorangi).
According to Waikato-Maniapoto lore it was Tāwhaki who ascended into the heavens to obtain the sacred baskets of knowledge, the stones of consolidation, and thus of the depth and breadth of thought (Mahara). On his endeavours he became weary and fatigued so he turned to the gourds (Ipu) for sustenance and strength. Hence the meaning of Te Ipu o te Mahara. The symbol has elements of the Poutama design; convergences of data points; and the ascendance from the earth (green) to the sky (blue).