Our Logo
Our Christian Animism website logo is the koru. It comes from Aotearoa, ‘land of the long white cloud’,1 where its image has been used in Indigenous Maori art for generations.
the fluid circular shape of the koru symbolizes creation in all its forms
Koru is the Maori word for ‘bight’ (like a wide curving bay), or a ‘loop’. It refers to the spiral shape of the young silver fern frond as it slowly uncurls, unfolds and unwinds over its adolescent lifetime, finally expanding into the full mature leaf of the kaponga: Maori for the ‘silver fern tree’, Cyathea dealbata.
For the Maori, the fluid circular shape of the koru symbolizes creation in all its forms. It’s round structure conveying the idea of perpetual movement. The inner coil of the koru, the corm, with rolled up inner leaflets, suggests a return to the point of origin, emphasizing a strong connection to its source.
The koru is seen as a metaphor of the way life is ever changing and yet at the same time remaining constant. In this sense it is viewed as a symbol of harmony; that point of equilibrium where the chaos of change and the calm of any given moment are held together in perfect balance.
The tightly curled young koru fern frond represents new life as it begins its journey into the world. It becomes the symbol of new beginnings, hope, perfection, rebirth, a fresh start, awakening, personal growth, and purity; nurturing a new phase in life, in the spirit of rejuvenation, strength and peace.
All of these rich understandings have deep significance for Christian Animists too.
The koru shape also happens to contain within it a perfect example of the “Golden Mean”, that mathematical ratio (1:1.618) considered to be the most pleasing of all aesthetic forms.
The koru is a wonderful example of how the presence of a simple life form can come to hold profound meaning for tribal and Indigenous peoples. This is why we have chosen it as our logo.
1New Zealand