Koru (Blue): As our flag unfurls, so too does its koru. The koru represents the fern frond, but is also reminiscent of a wave, a cloud, and a ram’s horn. In Māori kowhaiwhai patterns the koru represent new life, growth, strength and peace, and for this reason has crossed cultures, taking a special place in Aotearoa’s visual language. It is the colour of the sea and the sky, both of which surround us.
Traced from the design gallery for the New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16
Andrew Fyfe