Koru

[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).

The logo was introduced in 1973 to coincide with the arrival of the airline's first McDonnell Douglas DC-10 wide-body jet.

In 1983, Friedensreich Hundertwasser based his proposed design for a secondary New Zealand flag on the symbol.