Refreshed look and new name for Massey’s Pacific community

Engagement and Marketing Executive Ma’a Tongi from the Pacific Student Success team is proud of the work that has gone in to updating the logo and better encapsulating what it means to be part of the Pacific Massey family.

“We met with Pacific staff and students across each campus, presented the different logo concepts and patterns and gathered feedback because at the end of the day, these designs are going to represent us all. It was great hearing how both staff and students felt and then sharing how grateful they were to be part of the process and have a say. I really enjoyed this project.”

Ms Tongi says the logo and pattern connects the Pacific Massey family to their ancestors.

“It reminds us of who we are and the humble homes and hands from where we came. It will also remind us of the journey and struggles our ancestors, grandparents and parents went through to give us better opportunities. I can’t wait to see our logo and pattern everywhere. We are not only representing Pacific Massey, but our entire Pacific peoples and communities.

“This was very much a team effort, but I want to specifically thank Opeta Elika and the team at FEDERATION, and Massey Marketing Manager Heather Crichton for their expertise and guidance during this process. I also want to acknowledge the Pacific staff and students who were involved and provided feedback, which was invaluable in helping us decide on the final logo and pattern.”

Bachelor of AgriCommerce student Wesley Peters, one of the students involved in the refresh, says he was honoured to be included in the process.

“I really like the logo, its simple yet sophisticated, and I love the meaning. It incorporates all of the Pacific regions - Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia - as sometimes designs just focus on Polynesia. I also love the details of the Fala logo. It’s simple but speaks volumes and I can relate to the meaning behind it.”

Logo: Fala

The logo is inspired by pandanus weaving. Pandanus is a tropical plant, and its leaves are very important in Pacific culture and tradition, and is commonly used for weaving mats, bags, fans, hats, costumes and more.

The logo focuses on the weave pattern which is popular in all corners of the Pacific. Weaving is also an integral part of the oceanic circumnavigation abilities that allowed Pacific people to link throughout the Pacific via the ocean.

All of the arrows are facing inward, representing coming together and a strong sense of community, and the weave pattern is a symbol of strength and unity, also representing a sense of community.

The three arrows represent the respective regions of the Pacific, and symbolises diversity, as well as inclusiveness of all Pacific peoples. The larger arrow represents Massey with the Pacific regions converging towards it, symbolising collaboration and a connected community.

The fourth arrow represents the Pacific students attending Massey. The two lines on the sides act as a weave towards Massey and the three arrows symbolise their interwoven narrative. The two lines can be seen as being incomplete representing the developing journey.

Pattern: Lineage

The inspiration of this pattern comes from the process of Tapa making, and will be used in both black and white, and Massey’s colours. The motifs were selected and generalised to give a pan-pacific feel to acknowledge all Pacific peoples with reverence to this traditional artform.

Parallels can be made for student life, and talks to the journey filled with struggle, sacrifice, and the fruits of labour. Tapa cloths also go beyond material wealth and are treated as family heirlooms. They’re used for special occasions such as funerals and weddings.

In the tapa it is common to see a grid system - patterns and motifs are housed within square and rectangular shapes. It acts as both a decorative piece and a narrative. This pattern acknowledges the past, while moving forward to the future - a modern twist on an old classic.