This flag acknowledges Maori as our first people and unites all subsequent people into one nation through the creation myth/story. Photo / Michael Cunningham
This flag acknowledges Maori as our first people and unites all subsequent people into one nation through the creation myth/story. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Our flag serves as an emblem of our country in a huge number of settings - from web pages to government buildings. From the battle grounds of international war to the sports fields around the provinces. However, the flag we use today wasn't the first one.
I personally think thatchanging the flag is the right way to go in order to redefine ourselves as a nation.
The main argument against changing the flag is the history it represents. While many wars have been fought, and people have died under our flag, the fact remains that the Australian flag is remarkably similar to our own despite the two countries having completely different histories. Our flag needs to strongly represent that difference.
Our original flag: the United Tribes of New Zealand. Ring any bells? It should. The United Tribes flag was New Zealand's first known flag and our symbol of independence from Britain. The flag had such a symbolic meaning for Maori; the colours represented the creation story. Red; the blood of Papatuanuku that connects all people and unifies them as one. The sky of Rangi is blue and the four winds from where all people come. This flag acknowledges Maori as our first people and unites all subsequent people into one nation through the creation myth/story.
I acknowledge that it will be an expensive exercise to change the flag and there is a good argument, especially from Cantabrians, that there may be other priorities.
However, returning to our first flag would be a great choice and is backed by Maori and has a meaning deeply connected to this land. The current flag looks like a mix of random symbols frequently confused with Australia that does nothing to distinguish us and our history.
We should return to the flag that gave us our independence. My preference therefore is the United Tribes of New Zealand flag, not because I'm Maori or from Northland where it was originally designed, but because I believe the flag united our country then and could do so again.
Wiremu Kakarana is a Year 11 Whangaroa College student.
