The koru (Māori for 'loop or coil')[1] is a spiral shape based on the appearance of a new unfurling silver fern frond.[2] It is an integral symbol in Māori art, carving and tattooing, where it symbolises new life, growth, strength and peace.[3] Its shape "conveys the idea of perpetual movement," while the inner coil "suggests returning to the point of origin".[3]
The koru is the integral motif of the symbolic and seemingly abstract kōwhaiwhai designs traditionally used to decorate wharenui (meeting houses). There are numerous semi-formal designs, representing different features of the natural world.[4]
The logo of Air New Zealand, the national carrier, incorporates a koru design — based on the Ngaru (Ngāti Kahungunu)[5] kōwhaiwhai pattern — as a symbol of New Zealand flora. The logo was introduced in 1973 to coincide with the arrival of the airline's first McDonnell Douglas DC-10 wide-body jet. Several other nationwide organisations also use a koru in their logos, among them the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
In 1983, Friedensreich Hundertwasser based his proposed design for a secondary New Zealand flag on the symbol. It also formed the basis for a notable series of artworks by Gordon Walters. Koru swirls are also reminiscent of the Tomoe symbol in Japan.[6]
The New Zealand national korfball team is nicknamed The Korus, although the plural for koru is koru.[7][8]
