Creative Director | Game Designer
The idea for the Waka Hourua board game emerged during my Master's research, where I explored mixed reality’s potential in history education. Inspired by my two daughters and my desire to learn more about Oceania, as Aotearoa is my new home, I engaged with primary school teachers and waka experts to understand both classroom challenges and the rich traditions of early Polynesian navigation.
Waka Hourua is an educational board game designed to bring the story of early Polynesian migration to life for primary school students. By blending traditional gameplay with emerging technologies like Augmented Reality, it creates an engaging, interactive learning experience.
The game emphasizes teamwork over competition, mirroring the cooperative nature of voyaging. My goal is to make learning about early Polynesian navigation both exciting and meaningful for young learners.
Director Project Development
With 23 years in product development and people management, I’m passionate about shaping the future through technology, communication, and collaboration.
Priyan and I have worked together since our school days, and when he shared his Master's research on a mixed reality game for Polynesian navigation, I was captivated. I saw its potential to transform how children learn and play through board games and AR.
From prototype to final product, our combined expertise brought Waka Hourua to life. I'm excited about its impact on young learners and eager to expand this venture into new educational realms.
School Engagement Specialist
Bula! My name is Connor Sikivou and I'm the engagement specialist here at Waka Hourua. I loved the idea of engaging kids with fun educative ways to learn and I am truly honored to be a part of the Waka Hourua team. I love playing basketball, spending time with my friends and family and I love having the opportunity to share and appreciate culture of the pacific with anyone who's willing to learn!
3D Artist
I'm a 3D computer graphics artist with a deep passion for animation and technology, bringing characters and worlds to life on screen. As an educator, I love introducing children and youth to CGI and animation, drawing from my experience as a short course tutor at Yoobee Colleges.
Contributing to Waka Hourua was an exciting journey—from creating assets to playtesting and gathering feedback. As Māori, seeing this game come to life is truly special. It offers a unique way for children to explore how our ancestors built canoes and navigated the ocean using nature’s cues. I'm proud to be part of a project that brings this history to young learners.