The Ulu — Symbolic meanings varied through cultures

The ulu is a crescent-shaped all-purpose knife used by Inuit, Iñupiat, Yupik and Aleut peoples dating back to 2500 BCE — over 4,500 years old:

• Versatility and all-purpose utility — the ulu does everything, cuts across all contexts. A perfect metaphor for a measurement system that works across all organizational functions

• Passed down through generations — intergenerational knowledge transfer, exactly what foresight work is about

• Symbol of achievement — the Arctic Winter Games literally uses ulu-shaped medals to honor accomplished athletes instead of conventional medals. It is already a token of earned achievement

• Symbol of identity and strength — particularly for Inuit women, receiving an ulu from an elder is considered a deep honor

• The more it's used the sharper it becomes — a beautiful metaphor for a foresight system that gets more valuable with continuous use

• Used for communal sharing — cutting meat for the community, not just individual use

The Hawaiian 'Ulu — Breadfruit

Completely separate meaning in Hawaiian culture:

• Abundance and prosperity — the breadfruit tree symbolizes generosity of the land

• Resilience and security — from the legend of the god Kū transforming himself into an ulu tree to feed his family during famine

• Planted at a child's birth to ensure lifelong nourishment — a symbol of investing now for future flourishing

• Sustainability and long-term thinking — ulu trees live for generations

As a name/word across cultures:

• In Turkish: implies greatness, grandeur

• In some languages: associated with the owl — wisdom, mystery, seeing in the dark

• In others: associated with wealth