The Logo
Our logo is based on Maori folk legend. Created by Canon Hoepa Taepa and his son Wi more than 50 years ago, it contains many significant features.
It is available to affiliated Clubs and Societies for use on stationery, catalogues, programmes, etc. Contact the PSNZ Secretary to get a copy.
The Legend
Maori folk legend originally considered the earth was flat. In the beginning two supreme Gods, Papa the Earth Mother and Rangi the Sky Father, lay closely embraced, and the people lived in darkness. The demi-gods, the children of Rangi and Papa, were not pleased with this state of affairs and wanted light on the land. It was necessary to separate Rangi and Papa and when all other efforts had failed, Tane Mahuta, God of the Forest, placed his feet against Papa and his shoulders against Rangi. Exerting all his mighty strength he pushed them apart forever.
So there was light at last on the land and the world was made as we know it today, except for one thing, the hours of daylight were very brief because Ra or Rahue, the sun, rose rapidly each day and hurtled across the heavens.
People were dissatisfied with the very short daylight hours and wearied of the long, long nights. Breakfast we eaten in the morning and food for the evening meal put into the earth ovens, but darkness descended before it was cooked and it had to be eaten in the dark.
One who was greatly frustrated by this was Maui, Maui-tikitiki-a-Taranga. He was also endowed with magic powers and performed many remarkable feats, the best known perhaps, being the fishing-up of the North Island of New Zealand from the floor of the sea.
Maui resolved to stop Ra from moving across the sky so quickly and with his magic fish-hook and ropes, he set a snare across the mouth of the cavern from which Ra rose each morning. When Ra hurtled forth he was captured and despite all his struggles, was held firmly entangled in the snare while Maui beat him vigorously with his magic club, fashioned from the jawbone of his ancestress.
Ra was very angry. He found his position was untenable and in order to effect a strategic withdrawal, which would not decrease his mana, he made a bargain with Maui at a two-power conference (Ra and Maui being the sole representatives). He promised if Maui would release him, he would travel across the heavens in a more leisurely fashion, and as this apparently satisfied both parties, the agreement was immediately ratified.
Consequently there are now many more hours of daylight and conditions on earthy are more satisfactory for Photographers.
Significance
This then, is the story of how Maui captured Ra and slowed his progress across the sky, and the legend which inspired the design of the PSNZ motif used for blocks, badges and medals.
The classical carved head represents Ra the Sun God rising above the horizon, his bright rays of light filling the heavens and cutting a silver path across the sea. The bars curved across the rays, some, decorated with Maori symbols, represent the snare of Maui.
The symbolism of this legend is particularly appropriate to photographers, because they too snare light with their cameras and use it to good effect, when making photographs.
The traditional Maori designs used are also relevant to the standing of PSNZ. The mango-pare, or hammerhead shark design, is symbolic of authority, power and prestige, as befits a National Body. It appears, with various modifications, on the top rope of Maui’s snare, on the tongue of Ra, and on the bottom of the circle containing the motif.
The puhoro pattern, seen on the middle rope of the snare, typifies speed: the speed of light and the speed of PSNZ’s growth.
The tara tara o kai, a zigzag patterns, symbolises prolific growth and it appears on the figure of Ra.
Created by
The motif was designed by Canon Hoepa Taepa, late vicar of St Paul’s Memorial Church, Putiki, Wanganui, and his son Wi.