About the Logo

The logo we have used for this year’ meeting combines two native American motifs, the Story Teller and the Mud Head Kachina. The Story Teller figure is generally shown as an adult holding and talking to numerous children. It depicts the passing of cultural and historical heritage from one generation to the next. In a sense a scientific meeting such as ours is also a passing on of stories from one individual to a group.

The native American kachinas are spiritual figures which may be represented by dancers, pictures or dolls. The various kachinas have different powers and meanings. The Mud Head is said to be a warning against violating the incest taboo. According to one legend, a brother and sister fell in love and married. Their children were Mud Heads. They thus represent deformed children.

Since our society is devoted to teaching ourselves about the diagnosis and management of fetal malformations, this simple logo seemed fitting.
Carol Clewell deserves the credit for this idea and Michael Hale is the artist.