"Kimi Ora"

The Story of our Logo

Designed by a Young New Zealander

The Young New Zealanders Foundation invited Karl Patterson, a young Auckland North Shore based designer, to create a logo that would express something of our aspirations for all the young people of New Zealand.

Karl, who is of Ngai Tahu descent, was born in Hamilton but now lives in Auckland. As a designer he has completed many corporate designs, logos and material for commercial brochures, posters, advertisements and websites. Karl is currently a director of Patterson Marketing Limited in Auckland, where he works with his father Keith in the family business.

When Karl was thinking about a suitable symbol for the Foundation, he took into account all that a Koru represents, in particular how a Koru relates to the growing and progressive nurture of individuals, families, communities and nations. He saw in the Maori meaning of the Koru, (the name given to a newborn, unfurling fern frond), the power of new life, growth, strength and harmony.

Designed For Young New Zealanders

A Koru is often associated with nurturing – representing the strength and purity of a loving relationship or partnership:

"Ka hinga atu he tete-kura – ka hara-mai he tete-kura".

"As one fern frond (person) dies – one is born to take its place".

Our Koru therefore symbolises the Young New Zealanders Foundation and all that we seek to achieve. In a visual way it represents individuals, irrespective of gender, from the various cultures and ethnic groups who now elect to reside in our country.

Our Koru represents not only new-birth, but the growth of each individual, through the childhood phase, through the in-between years, through adolescence and even embraces young adults in their early twenties.

The design seeks to express something of the strength and unity of our country and its people. It is as though our generation were an unfurling fern frond striving for perfection, reaching for the light, seeking nurture, nourishment, empowerment and the strength to stand strong with national identity.

As a Foundation, we seek, with public support, to help nurture our young people in their need of:—

• mental and physical health;
• resiliency and personal strength;
• success and achievement.

We have named our Koru, "Kimi Ora" which simply seeks to express what it is to nurture and develop personal health, fulfillment and maturity, national identity and harmony as a nation.