Kaoru

I made a new friend today. She is Kaoru Shimizu from Japan. I told her Koru sounds maori, like Kauri tree or the Koru. Kaoru says she like Koru , on the shape of a new unfurling silver fern frond and symbolizing new life, growth, strength and peace.






One day, my husband and I and our twelve year old son headed out west to Bethells beach. The drive is an hour and we had to drive through the windy road to the other side of the Waitakeres.

I saw silvery tiny Koru shells basking in the sun and pick them up as teaching aids for my lessons. I teach English to speakers of non English speaking children.

Together, we talked about the Koru. The most famous would be our Silver Fern, the national plant of New Zealand, and our formitable national net ball team.

I asked my kids what the Koru reminds them of, and here are some of the ideas.

The Koru reminds me of:

A graceful ice skater swirling on the spot on one leg.

A beautiful ballerina spinning a pirouette on one spot.

The unusual ethnic logo of a double koru on the an air New Zealand jumbo plane.

A caterpillar curving inside the chrysallis.

Fast whirling helicopter's propeller blades.

A slithery snake as it curls under a rock as it hibernates.

A mad ferocious gigantic tornado zooming across America.

A swishing old fashion washing machine going swish-swoosh.

Mr. Whippy's cold delicious mouth-watering yummy icecream.

A gianormous big black hole whirling in outer space.

A candy floss seller making delicious candy at the county fair.

An armadillo curling up as he hibernates in winter.

A zillion legged millipede after a thunder storm.

A pin-mill I just made, making a whirl whirl sound against the wind.



*Koru is a Maori word for the spiral shape.*