Kung Fu Nuns

The Kung Fu Nuns belong to a 900-year-old Buddhist sect called the Drukpa, derived from the Tibetan word for dragon.

They are Nepal’s only female order to practice the deadly martial art made famous by Bruce Lee. In the inherently patriarchal Buddhist monastic system, women are considered inferior to men. Monks usually occupy all leadership positions, leaving nuns to the household duties and other tedious chores. But in 2008, the leader of the 1,000-year-old Drukpa lineage, His Holiness The Gyalwang Drukpa, changed everything.

They handle traditional weapons, such as the ki am (sword), small dao (sabre), big dao (halberd), tong (lance) and nunchaku (chain attached to two metal bars).

You may have heard about them on NPR, The New York Times, BBC.

Their goal: To promote gender equality and empower the young women, who mostly come from poor backgrounds in India and Tibet.

They teach self-defense, rescue abused and neglected animals, and promote awareness of human trafficking.

The Ask: Create a logo/branding before they make their first US tour. The logo would also be used as a medal/badge as part of the uniform, and across messaging.

Challenges: The logo must be readable from a distance as they travel, especially in countries with limited English. It must reflect their bold mission and attitude, feel modern, but not throw away the tradition of the ancient sect—a need for a quick turnaround for their debut in the US and international tour.

Solution: A bold type logo that is easily legible, using the colors and layout of the Drukpa lineage flag + taking inspiration from the type of Kill Bill, a film that features badass female martial artists.

Side note: I grew up in a mixed martial arts family, training formally at a young age, and competing in the men’s full-contact combat division. Working on this project was a dream.