national Women's
Martial Arts Federation

The Logo

The NWMAF logo was designed in 1988 by Kathy Hopwood. The design encompasses life cycles, movement, creativity, revolution and the universe in harmony. The logo represents NWMAF as a movement of women who engage in martial arts movement as a means of empowering ourselves and effecting change in the world.

The Symbolism of the NWMAF logo:

Circle:
The circle represents the female principle and ultimate oneness. When objects are enclosed in a circle, they symbolize inner unity and harmony of all matter. Two circles represent the connection of heaven and earth or of love and knowledge.
 
Water:
The element of water represents regeneration or spiritual rebirth and is the symbol from which all life proceeds. It is one of the five elements of life. The wave lines in the water illustrate the constant movement of water.
 
Moon:
Symbolic of females, the moon is connected with water. The moon shows the phases of life: periodic creation and recreation, waxing and waning. The full moon is said to ease childbirth. The moon is a circle which represents the female principle.
 
Tomoe:
The Tomoe is a Japanese motif symbolizing the revolution of the universe. The Tomoe illustrates the constant movement of the universe in harmony.