Our Logo

The HIMARC logo symbolizes values and intentions core to our mission of providing scientific support for holistic marine management that benefits both people and reefs of Hawaiʻi. At HIMARC, we value collaboration and consensus building around a shared understanding of nearshore ecosystem condition in Hawaiʻi.

The backbone of the logo design are statistical distribution curves based on data from the HIMARC dataset. At the base of the distributions is koʻa (coral) to symbolize the people and ecosystem at the core of our work. Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Indigenous peoples of Hawaiʻi) recognize the koʻa as the origin of life in the Kumulipo. Ko‘a are foundational engineers of reef ecosystems, forming the habitat that all reef organisms rely on.

The coral design lies on top of the curved hull of a waʻa (traditional voyaging canoe of Hawaiʻi) complete with sails positioned to move the logo forwards. This signifies the forward movement of HIMARC’s work to support marine stewardship, management, and protection in Hawaiʻi driven by community priorities and leadership. The waʻa also reminds us of the inspiration for our founding, since the HIMARC program was borne out of the Promise to Paeʻāina o Hawai‘i, the commitment to Hawaiʻi from Hawaiʻi following the Worldwide Voyage of the waʻa Hōkūleʻa in 2016. Our mission addresses parts of this commitment, including a need for pooling data collaboratively and tracking progress towards improved management. The shape of the first distribution curve also invokes the image of a wave cresting over the koʻa and propelling the waʻa forward with the wave extending throughout the HIMARC name reflecting our commitment to continuing on the journey ahead. The wa‘a and waves also speak to HIMARC’s efforts to incorporate the reciprocal relationship between people and the environment into our research and to understand the role of both together in determining reef condition.