Vexillology: Oceania and Australasia

While by far the two largest countries in the Pacific are Australia and New Zealand, their flags are far too similar to one another to earn a place on my list. Generally, I'm not a fan of flags that display the Union Jack in the corner of a blue field. There are literally dozens of flags that have that basic design. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Union Jack flag! It just has to be set against a field that really makes it stand out, like the British Indian Ocean Territory which I featured yesterday or two of the flags that I've chosen to feature today.

Oceania and Australasia is a region rich in tiny island countries and territories. While I generally try to feature sovereign states, some of the countries in the Pacific are of ambiguous sovereignty, and one flag I chose to feature today was so interesting that I felt it deserved its spot, despite being a regional flag.

Republic of Kiribati

I have seen a lot of vexillologists saying that the flag of Kiribati is one of their favorites, and I have to agree. The 17 rays of sun represent the various islands of the republic, and the golden frigatebird symbolizes power over the sea, freedom, and authority. The flag developed out of the old coat of arms of Kiribati while it was a British territory.

The waves naturally represent the Pacific Ocean, and the sun, which is located right in the center of the flag, represents the country's location on the equator.

This is one of the few flags that is actually a scene, which is a hard thing to pull off while still having a flag that looks nice.

Papua New Guinea

Like the flags of Australia and New Zealand, the flag of Papua New Guinea features the Southern Cross, the predominant constellation in the southern sky. The colors red, white, and black pay tribute to the flag of the German Empire, which colonized Papua New Guinea prior to 1918, when it became a British territory. The bird of paradise is a symbol of the country.

This flag was adopted in 1971 to replace a previous national flag that the population was largely unsatisfied with. A contest was held to choose a new flag. The winning design, which is now proudly the flag of the country, was designed by a 15 year-old student!

Bikini Atoll

The Bikini Atoll is not actually a country. It's a coral reef in the Marshal Islands, which is an Associated State of the United States (essentially a protectorate) despite being a sovereign country. However, the flag is so interesting and has such a deep and powerful meaning that I thought it deserved to be featured. Looks familiar, doesn't it?

The Bikini Atoll is probably most famous as the testing site for the US nuclear weapons project during the Second World War. The tests rendered the island uninhabitable, poisoning the population and forcing the full evacuation of the Atoll. Today, the population still cannot return. The flag was chosen by the people of Bikini Atoll to reflect the islanders belief that they are still owed a great debt by the United States government.

The 23 white stars represents the islands of the atoll. The three black stars represent the islands which were used as test sites for the atom bombs. The two black stars at the bottom of the flag represent the two islands where the Bikinian population now have to live in exile, away from their homeland. The words on the flag mean "Everything is in the hands of God".

It's a powerful and sobering flag rich in a painful symbology.

Niue

Now that's more like it! Finally, a flag that features the Union Jack but sets it apart against an outstanding field and really makes it its own! 

Niue is a bit strange. It's a self-governing country, but does not hold a seat in the United Nations. It's a country in "free association" with New Zealand, who handles Niue's diplomatic relations and defense. Elizabeth II is the head of state of Niue, but in her capacity as Queen of New Zealand. In short, Niue is of ambiguous sovereignty, but does function, for all intents and purposes, as a sovereign nation.

The The yellow field symbolizes both the bright sunshine and the warm feelings of friendship between Niuean people and New Zealand. Like many other Pacific countries, the stars which spangle the Union Jack represent the Southern Cross.

I love the colors, I love the stars on the Union Jack, and I love how the flag represents the unique diplomatic relationship between Niue and New Zealand. 

Tuvalu

Like Niue, Tuvalu has turned the classic British territory or commonwealth flag on its head and twisted it into something unique that it can really be proud to fly. Tuvalu is a fully independent Commonwealth realm, and maintains close ties with Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

As you can imagine, the blue field represents the ocean, and the stars represent the islands that make up Tuvalu. In fact, they are laid out in a geographically-correct arrangement.

So now we've covered the flags of the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Think we're through? Not even close! Come back tomorrow for more! The world of vexillology is endlessly fascinating.

Tomorrow might actually be the day that I've been most looking forward to!