Meaning of the logo
Designing a logo was important to me as it determined the branding of thedune website. I have designed a logo using the analogy of Pingao, our New Zealand native golden sand sedge, to reflect my passion for growing plants, weaving, education and the environment. And once created, the branding and development of the website easily followed.
Pingao is an amazing plant that adapts to the dynamic and changing landscape of a sand dune. To survive it needs to be enduring – flexible, resistant, sustainable, and binding.
Pingao partners well with companion or other community plants such as cabbage trees, marrram grass and hebes, and as it matures develops an ecological niche in the sand for many small animals.
The simplicity of three grass blades of Pingao displays the richness of colour of the plant and hints at its potential to weave strong relationships. The background colour is grey sand and reminds us of its adaption to a dynamic environment.
Play the video of a traditional Maori story of Pingao that I designed and developed, using the same techniques as described on the web site Pasifika digital legends, using Paint Shop Pro 7.02 and Windows MovieMaker Version 6.0.
I was the key facilitator for this NZ Ministry of Education project, when employed with Cognition Education (ex MultiServe Education Trust).
Here is the text of the story of Pingao (or Pikao), the Golden Sand Sedge, that can be found on the website of the New Zealand Department of Conservation, Te Papa Atawhai.
Manaakitia nga tukemata o Tane
Caring for the eyebrows of Tane
In the beginning of time there was a great conflict between Tane Mahuta, God of the Forest, and his brother Takaroa, God of the Sea. Takaroa was jealous of Tane Mahuta's success in separating Ranginui, the Sky Father from Papa-tu-a-nuku the Earth Mother.
Tane Mahuta wanted to end the warring between them and as a sign of peace plucked out his eyebrows and gave them to Takaroa. But Takaroa's jealousy was so great that he could not find it in his heart to forgive Tane Mahuta, and threw the eyebrows back onto the shore.
There they grow today as Pingao, the Golden Sand Sedge, as the boundary separating the forest and the sea.
