Logo Design

The Symbol

Objective

Colourful: Inspiring; aesthetically pleasing; meaningful for African Nova Scotians.

The Construction of the Symbol

The ANSA logo incorporates several concepts that relate to the mission of the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs (ANSA). First, in the forward progress / rotation of the flower, different elements are moving forward together, demonstrating how ANSA enhances the provincial government's innovative delivery of services to African Nova Scotians.

The Components

Rich in symbolism, the logo is representative of the self reliance of African Nova Scotians and their communities and ANSA's role in promoting this goal. See if you can spot all components in the logo.

The elements are:

FLOWER

• The Mayflower is the official flower of Nova Scotia. Five petalled flowers symbolize the microcosm of man fixed in the five senses.

STAR

This stylized star is symbolic in several different ways.

• The Black Star of Africa has come to symbolize hope and honour.
• A Black star to represent the people.
• A star is a symbol of emancipation and unity.
• Historically, some significant clues of the Underground Railroad included well defined hidden routes and following the bright North Star during the night, as well as certain stations where a light in the window would be an indicator of a safe home used as a slave hideaway.
• Symbolically, African Nova Scotians and their communities are or can aspire to be stars in their own right.
• Points of the star resemble spokes moving forward as are our people.

BIRDS

• In this case Nova Scotia Seagulls, as symbols of transcendence; the soul; a spirit; divine manifestation; spirits of the air; spirits of the dead; ascent to heaven; ability to communicate with gods or to enter into a higher state of consciousness; thought; imagination.
• Birds represent freedom and are a symbol of fertility.
• Birds are said to carry the souls of our ancestors.

Some of the descriptions of symbolism are taken from the publication An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols by J. Smith (London: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1978)