MANA

We have been publishing books on Cook Islands art, architecture and literature with The University of the South Pacific (USP) for over 10 years – so it was our absolute privilege to design a new anthology of Cook Islands short stories and poems for the university’s 50th anniversary.

Mana captures a largely oral tradition of Cook Islands storytelling, celebrating the history of the written word in Maori and English – from anti-colonialism to a post-colonialism era. This significant publication will be used as a text for future studies in Cook Islands and Pacific literature in schools, universities and community libraries.

We began with a single-minded proposition, that the whole book design is about celebrating the written word. This meant every design choice we made, from colour, to typeface and imagery was about enhancing, rather than detracting from the power of the stories within.

The resulting design is refined and restrained, with a carefully selected New Zealand typeface paired with a beautifully crafted handwritten font inspired by the written word in its purest form and to reference the signatures of the Cook Islands authors.

Bright colours and watercolour imagery are used sparingly, reflecting a Pacific influence, while ensuring the written word remains the focal point of the book.