Last modified: 2014-11-29 by ian macdonald
Keywords: proposal: new zealand | leaf: fern | fern | southern cross | stars: southern cross | koru | korukouwhaiwhai | hundertwasser (friedensreich) |
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Recently, there have been a number of calls for a change to the New Zealand
flag. The most notable was in a document entitled "New Zealand Tourism
Strategy 2010", saying that a distinctive flag would be advisable for New
Zealand in terms of visability in tourism. The alternative design proposed was
the black flag with the white (technically silver) fern leaf. The government, however, has said that a change of flag is
not a priority, and that a good deal more discussion would be required before any change could be made.
Thomas Robinson, 17 May 2001
Notes from a paper entitled "Past Attempts to Change the New Zealand Flag"
by John Moody, New Zealand [mooXX]
(Note that these notes are somewhat abbreviated - I could only write so fast!
It would be appreciated if any NZers (or others) could fill in any gaps in the
chronology.)
[Some gaps filled using a version of the paper from Crux Australis [cxa] No. 66 (Vol 16/2)]
Considerable discussion has arisen over the past 40 years surrounding the appropriateness
of the New Zealand flag. Those who want change note that it is a colonial flag,
not truly representative of an independent New Zealand, that it is too similar
to the Australian flag, and that it does not represent the modern multicultural
New Zealand. Those who wish to retain the present flag note that it reflects
New Zealand's historical ties with UK, that there is no good alternative, and
that New Zealanders have fought and died under it.
One of the first proposals was by Clark Titman and appeared in 1967. It showed
a red-white-blue-white-red horizontally striped flag, in a ratio of approximately
3:1:8:1:3, with the white fimbriated red stars of the Southern Cross on the
centre of the blue stripe. The chronology of change continues from there:
May 1973: Labour Party Congress - a call to change the flag
was squashed.
Nov 1979: a proposal to place the silver fern on the fly appeared.
1980: several suggestions arose, including one from the government
to consider a new flag, and a newspaper article calling for the same. One suggestion
was to use the NZ-ZN in blue and red on a white field, from the flag that was
used for the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
1982: D.A. Bayle introduced a blue-white-blue flag
with a blue koru as a proposal.
March 1983: F. Hundertwasser introduced the green
koru.
1984: a black and white koru with stars was proposed, and a
black flag with four white fimbriated red stars was suggested from a newspaper
competition.
Dec 1988: a modified Titman proposal with vertical stripes (almost identical to an
Ausflag proposal in 1997 for Australia).
1989: at a Labour Party conference a call for a new flag was defeated
144:156.
1990: the winning flag in another newspaper competition was
a blue-white-green horizontally striped flag, ratios about 8:2:3, with four
white stars on the blue stripe in the fly. Another flag seen around 1990 was
a blue-yellow-green horizontally striped flag in approximately 10:1:8 ratio.
1994: J. Park proposed a black flag, the UJ in the canton,
with white kiwi and ferns in the fly.
1998: James Dignan initiated discussion leading to a white
fern above a red diagonal on a black field. [James Dignan's design also feature the current
southern cross on a blue background in the lower half of the flag. -Editor]
1999: above design modified to white fern on black.
[Dignan's design was not modified. -Editor]
May 2000: proposed designs still appearing, including black-white-green
tricolour, with four gold stars and a koru.
March 2014: speech by Prime
Minister John Key on the future referendum on the New Zealand flag can be read
here:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/speech-victoria-university-0
The current situation (July 2001) is that change is being resisted. Decals
proclaiming "Keep it this way" are seen on cars. By NZ law, a 65%
majority is needed to change the flag, and a recent bill was lost. Opinion polls
(1999) showed that there was 24% in favour of change, and 64% opposed, but when
presented with the white fern on black, these numbers changed to 33% in favour
of the fern, 60% opposed.
The silver fern is increasingly being seen on the streets. It was first used
by the All Blacks rugby team, and is a native species. One of its earliest uses
as a New Zealand emblem was on headstones of WW1 servicemen.
Rob Raeside, 1 August 2001
The most common designs are two variants of the black fern on white -
one of them basically the same as the one used by supporters of the
All Blacks and one the
stylised fern promoted by nzflag.com (the latter seems to be slowly
falling out of favour, probably as much as anything because the
people involved seem, erm, somehwhat single-minded in their approach,
shall we say). The third best-known alternative design is the "Koru"
flag of Hundertwasser, though that's seen more as a complementary
alternative flag than as a replacement for the current one.
James Dignan, 19 May 2006
On 9 February 2014, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key unexpectedly suggested changing the design of the country's national flag.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-26114113
Howard J. Wilk,
10 February 2014
New Zealand will be holding a general election on September 20th, and on Wednesday 3rd of September, the Labour Party's Internal Affairs Spokesman Trevor Mallard announced "that Labour would review the design of the New Zealand flag, with the party saying "The time has come for a change and it is right for the issue to be put to the public.""
So what this is saying is that whatever the outcome of the election
both major parties are now in favour of changing New Zealand's flag. Prime
Minister John Key wants a referendum held on the matter before the next general
election to be held by 2017. It looks as though New Zealand will follow Canada
and South Africa down the path of flag change.
John Moody, 6
September 2014
The New Zealand Prime Minister who was re-elected on Saturday announced yesterday that "I'd like to complete the whole process next year. I don't think it's one of those things we want to hang around." The debate will be decided by referendum and Key has already started making the case for change, labeling the current design of a Union Jack and Southern cross "A relic from New Zealand's colonial past."
The Returned and Services Association has already lined up against any
change. The momentum to change the New Zealand flag continues to speed up with
backing now by the two major political parties in New Zealand, National and
Labour but also our Prime Minister and Governor General. For a nation's flag to
change it needs a champion, here we have it in our Prime Minister John Key our
version of Canada's Lester Pearson.
John Moody, 22 September 2014
The momentum to change the New Zealand Flag continues apace. The first of two
referendums on changing New Zealand's flag could be held as early as next year,
with a decision in early 2016, according to press reports this week (Thursday)
in the New Zealand media. Prime Minister John Key addressed the Returned and
Services national conference on Wednesday "to lay his case for a new New Zealand
ensign." The Returned and Services Association has already come out in
opposition to adopting a new flag for New Zealand. John Key had softened his
preference for a Silver Fern on a black background saying, "it was unlikely to
be a popular option." He had been swayed more toward a design by Kyle Lockwood
that retained the colours of New Zealand's current flag with a Silver Fern and
Southern Cross.
This weekend we saw the flag being debated on the current
affairs programme, The Nation on Television Three with two advocates debating
the pros and cons of flag change, one advocate being for change the other
against. You can view this programme on demand if you type in tv3.co.nz.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key was interviewed by the British media this
week telling them that "his desire to remove the Union Jack from the flag is
more rebranding than an insult." This was reported in this morning's Sunday Star
Times. He went onto say, "We are no longer the tiny little offshoot of Britain
in the South Pacific. The thing is it should sort of scream 'New Zealandness'. I
want to build greater confidence in and more overt signs of patriotism."
John Moody, 18 October 2014
Details of the referendum to decide whether New Zealanders want to retain the
current New Zealand Flag or adopt a completely new design were announced
yesterday by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. A flag consideration committee
panel would be set up consisting of a group of respected New Zealanders who
would then seek submissions from the public on new flag designs and suggestions.
Two binding referendums would then be held, one to be held November-December
2015 for voters to pick their favourite alternative flag design, the second to
be held in April 2016 for a run off between the current flag and the winning
alternative flag.
Controversy has surrounded the referendum process which
has been costed at N.Z. $ 25.7 million with critics saying this money could be
better spent on other things. Interviewed on New Zealand Television last night
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said that Canada was his inspiration in
trying to get the New Zealand flag changed. The urrent debate to get New
Zealand's flag changed and the upcoming referendums to decide whether it is
changed or not is especially topical with next years Congress of Vexillology
being held in Sydney, Australia, New Zealand's near neighbour.
John Moody,
29 October 2014
John Key raises the flag debate whenever there are more important
political policies he wishes to distract the public from - it has been a regular
smokescreen of his for the last six years. Recent polls have shows that the
majority of New Zealanders do not want the flag to be changed, and are, for the
most part, fed up with the constant debate, so he has initiated this pair of
referenda to ensure they stay at the top of the nation's public political focus.
Key, however, is keen to have a new flag, and sees it as a potential "legacy to
the nation". Presenting this as a pair of referenda has its critics - not least
because there have been at least two citizens-initiated referenda during Key's
premiership, the results of both of which his government has ignored. Another
major criticism is that half the cost could potentially be saved if the order of
the referenda was reversed. What is the point of deciding an alternative design
(as decided in the first referendum) if the public wish to keep the present flag
(as decided in the second)? There is only one purpose - by deciding on a design
in the first, it will focus the public's attention on the new design and make it
familiar to them, swaying them towards that in the second referendum.
James Dignan, 29 October 2014
![[ Fern leaf proposal ]](../images/n/nz!sfern.gif)
image
by Pascal Gross, 7 September 1998
By reading the results of this poll [organized by FlagWire],
it appear that people voting in favour of a new flag for New Zealand often mentioned
the Black flag with the silver fern present on the rugby team (All Blacks) jersey.
Pascal Gross, 7 September 1998
Recently, there have been a number of calls for a change to the New Zealand
flag. The most notable was in a document entitled "New Zealand Tourism
Strategy 2010", saying that a distinctive flag would be advisable for New
Zealand in terms of visability in tourism. The alternative design proposed was
the one already mentioned [above], being the black flag with the white (technically
silver) fern leaf. The government, however, has said that a change of flag is
not a priority, and that a good deal more discussion would be required before any change could be made.
Thomas Robinson, 17 May 2001
![[ Sylised fern leaf proposal ]](../images/n/nz!bfern.gif)
image by António Martins 26 April 2006This design has been actively promoted by the people behind NzFlag.COM, as
seen at http://www.nzflag.com/example.cfm. It is a black 1:2 flag with a
white highly stylized fern frond on it, lacking the characteristic
indentations.
António Martins, 26 April 2006
From Past Attempts to Change the New Zealand Flag [mooXX]
by John Moody, New Zealand:
One of the first proposals was by Clark Titman and appeared in 1967. It showed
a red-white-blue-white-red horizontally striped flag, in a ratio of approximately
3:1:8:1:3, with the white fimbriated red stars of the Southern Cross on the
centre of the blue stripe.
Rob Raeside, 1 August 2001
![[ 1988 version of Titman's proposal ]](../images/n/nz!88.gif)
image by António Martins, 26 April 2006
I note that this flag could be produced by cutting an existing NZ flag and stitching
plain white and red bunting to it, which is an additional advantage.
António Martins, 26 April 2006
![[ Koru flag ]](../images/n/nz!koru.gif)
image
by Hamish Low, 9 December 2004
This is the well known Koru flag, designed
by Friedensreich Hundertwasser who lives in the Far
North of NZ. The Hundertwasser flag (I have had one
for about 14 years) is 1:2 height to width and,
though often appear creamy, were produced white.
Technically this is not a Maori flag, as you will note
although the koru is a Maori
motif, the flag was designed by an Austrian and
does not have a direct Maori cultural significance.
As far as I know the Hundertwasser flag has been
around since the 1970’s — my first positive memories
of it would have been in the early 1980’s but
believe I first saw it in about 1979. (I’ve had
mine since about 1984.)
John Harrison, 11 September 1998
This has gained considerable popularity in the
northern North Island (where most of the Maori
population is found). It also has a reasonable
following among New Zealand whites, or pakeha
as they are called in Maori, especially with
alternative lifestylers.
The flag is based (roughly) on a type of
Maori pattern
known as koru, or korukouwhaiwhai, which
has flowing spirals representing young fern leaves.
Because of this, the flag is green and white (to
represent the fern and sky), rather than the traditional
Maori colours of white, black and red. The flag is
divided diagonally (party per bend sinister), starting
at the bottom corner by the flagpole, with white over
green. However, as it approaches the top on the fly side,
the green curls over into a spiral shape. The green is
a deep yellowish leafy green, rather than the rich green
normally seen on flags. The flag also contains a black stripe at the hoist.
James Dignan
This flag is likely to be seen fluttering from the mast stays of the yacht
of an aging hippy, or from a rough stake in the ground next to a meditation
retreat in the “bush” (NZ for forest). The flag is by no means official or endorsed,
and was only one (foreign) man’s idea for a flag, but it is well recognised
and embraced by a percentage of New Zealanders who identify with it. Alternative
lifestyle has long ago passed as being the “in thing” so that percentage would
be likely to be declining.
John Harrison, 15 September 1998
The sixth and last flag of UNESCO's Six Flags of Tolerance series is "Harmony and Evolution", also by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It is the same design as his 1983 Koru flag, with green changed to blue.
António Martins, 17 June 2007
As far as I know, the Koru flag was never officially proposed as
an alternative to the NZ flag, it just gained support
during the "old hippies becoming alternative
lifestyler" crowd and gathered momentum from
there. However, it's probably the most widely-known alternative
NZ flag design (excluding the sport-supporter's
white fern on black) and is still easily purchased
here. I actually have one myself, though I don't
fly it, mainly because I don't like the design
(the "green and white" is actually a muddy sage
green and off-cream).
James Dignan, 18 June 2007
![[ Southern Cross designs ]](../images/n/nz!and.gif)
image
by Neil Anderson, 6 June 2014
This proposal emphasises New Zealand’s location as a green land at the bottom
of a blue ocean, and is the design I like the most of the four. It doesn’t use
the fern, but retains the traditional four-star Southern Cross used at present.
The flag consists of three uneven horizontal stripes, ratio (approx) 14:1:5,
of dark or mid-blue, gold and green, with the four stars of the southern cross
in white (I’ve also seen it with the white and gold reversed, i.e., stars gold,
stripe white).
James Dignan
From the flag's website (http://www.HeKaraMoANZ.net):
HE KARA MO AOTEAROA NEW ZEALANDA separate column bears the following information:
-------------------------------
A FLAG FOR AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
The deep blue represents the sky (kio o te rangi), the sea (te ao o te moana), and the lakes and rivers. The white band is the cloud (te ao), and the snow and ice of the mountains. The forests and pastures of the land (te whenua) are represented in deep green.
He Kara incorporates four stars of the Southern Cross (Te Kaahui a Maahutonga) in a symmetric configuration as a national device. In the context of He Kara, the Southern Cross is intended to represent the four main island groups of Aotearoa New Zealand, called North, South, Stewart and the Chathams.
The stars are gold, rendered in bright yellow, to represent a national aspiration for excellence in all endeavours.
Additionally, the stars (at the point of the compass) signify both secular and spiritual elements of our heritage - the navigational skills of early Maori and Pakeha voyagers, the varied origins of more recent migrants, and the broad dimensions of our respective spiritual traditions.
In combination, the elements of He Kara are intended to suggest the union of Rangi and Papa, ecological harmony, hope for the future, enlightenment and equity.
He Kara Mo Aotearoa New Zealand is advanced as a candidate to succeed the National Flag of New Zealand.
![[Proposal by James Dignan]](../images/n/nz!jd.gif)
image by James Dignan, contributed 17 Jul 2006
James Dignan's design of a white fern on black in the upper hoist, and the red,
fimbriated white four-star southern cross on blue in the lower fly,
separated by a white fimbriated red diagonal stripe, appeared in an
article
in The New Zealand Herald on 9 May 2002.
Jonathan Dixon, 17 July 2006
The New Zealand newspaper "Sunday Star Times" has today published an article
in which several new flag design proposals have been created by various artists
and graphic designers. The article appears at:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3179240/Flying-the-flag-for-new-look-Kiwi-ensign.
Unfortunately the actual designs are not shown on the website.
Ralph
Kelly, 20 December 2009
I accessed the article in question through Press Display. Four proposals are
shown in the article.
The first one is by Dick Frizzell: A central blue
panel bearing the white bordered red stars of the Southern Cross, the panel is
flanked by two red and two white narrow stripes on either side.
The
second proposal is by John Ansell and consists of a white fern against a black
field.
![[Proposal by Billy Apple]](../images/n/nz!09_3.gif)
image by Eugene Ipavec, 13 January 2010
The third proposal is by Billy Apple and has a black field with a grey
canton. Black covers 86 % of the area and grey 14 %, representing the share of
the "Pakeha" and the Maori in the New Zealand population.
![[Proposal by Base Two]](../images/n/nz!09_4.gif)
image by Eugene Ipavec, 13 January 2010
The fourth proposal is by the company Base Two. This is a white field with a
graphic arrangement in red and blue suggesting the letters NZ. The N is made by
setting two red triangles against the white, the Z by two blue ones. The blue
triangle closest to the fly contains the stars of the southern cross (the stars
seem to be outlined in white with the inside blue).
Jan Oskar
Engene, 20 December 2009
![[Proposal by Ian Murphy]](../images/n/nz!murphy.gif)
image by Ian Murphy, 8 November 2013
I have a new design for an alternative New Zealand flag and it is
attached. It is designed by me, Ian Murphy of Hamilton, NZ. The colours and
stars are aimed to match the existing flag, although the blue would look great a
slightly darker shade. The white lines represent the Land of the Long White
Cloud, being the northern and southern main islands and narrower lines our
smaller islands. The silver fern is shown within. The design is instantly
identified as being New Zealand and I feel will appeal to all, which is what we
need in a new design.
Ian Murphy, 8 November 2013
![[Proposal by Richard Aslett]](../images/n/nz!nzenz.gif)
image by Richard Aslett, 27 January 2014
I am an established New Zealand Artist/Musician/Politician (Google -
Richard Aslett - NZ) and have attached my, now well known, proposal named "eNZign"
- for a "New" New Zealand Flag.
"eNZign" came about, due to every year
(on Waitangi day, the 6th of Feb) the debate would (and still does!) arise again
and again about our National Flag. The idea was to come up with a design that
would incorporate and suit the majority of people now living in New Zealand,
introducing much needed colour (to the drab designs doing the rounds), drawing
on images from the past, yet combining them with a totally fresh approach, and
presenting them in a modern, new millennium, fashion. My original design was
painted onto canvas, and has long since been sold, yet I still have rights to
the design and produce postcards with the image, with an explanation on the
back. These are very very popular, and fly out of the door
as quickly as I can get them printed!
Please find below, a worded
description of the design and its meaning, which was displayed with the
original painting, and is now printed on the back of the postcards.
The “eNZign” Flag features three familiar insignia designs; the traditional
"Southern Cross" stars, the more recent Tino Rangatiratanga, and the ever
popular "sporting" NZ Silver Fern; yet also incorporates a rainbow of colours to
represent all genders, religious, political, and sexual orientations, plus
the new & many differing races & cultures of peoples now inhabiting this Pacific
paradise, Godzone, NZ, Aotearoa… all combined in one uniting, binding, Koru
frond.
www.freewebs.com/mangawekagallery
Richard Aslett,
27 January 2014
![[Proposal by David Hume]](../images/n/nz!hume.gif)
image by David Hume, 29 July 2014
This proposal is unique, simple, and hits many of the points that are
being looked for. Here is the link to my submission (and explanation):
http://members.shaw.ca/dhume/nzflag/
"New Zealand is known for its European and Maori cultural expressions;
its varied beautiful landscapes of mountains, fjords, forests, plains, beaches,
and thermal zones; and its welcoming and friendly people and their efforts to
bring the best quality to exported products and ideas. With the recent
suggestions a new flag will inevitably be sought for the country, here is a
strong, relevant, and elegant submission for a more contemporary design.
Any new flag should be bold and distinctly represent the country, ideally giving
a view on how the world already sees New Zealand. People upon seeing the flag
should say, "This is New Zealand." Any symbolism present must be suitable,
lasting, and admired both in New Zealand and around the world.
Description
The flag has a width twice the length of its
height. (i.e. 2:1) It consists of three horizontal areas. The top fifth is green
with black on its lower fifth. The bottom fifth is silver with black on its
upper fifth. The middle three fifths is black, with a hoist-side black, stylized
decoration of young ponga fronds extending to half the flag's width. The fronds
have a white outline to contrast from the black background and the design is
reversed along the horizontal to produce symmetry.
Each of the colours
and elements has significance to New Zealand. The top band of green represents
verdant nature. The silver band underlying the whole exemplifies the country's
innovative drive. Also, the green above and silver below traits are akin to the
silverfern, a popular flora symbol for the country. The black in the flag's
center means solidarity; a uniting virtue epitomized by dedication and hard
work. This colour and its essence are both presented amongst the country's
sports branding. The koru decoration (i.e. the young ponga fronds) symbolizes
new life, growth, strength, and peace. The selection of white for the koru
outline represents harmony, and when mixed with the surrounding elements in
elegant curves, combines with, weaves together, and reinforces the themes.
The design looks unique amongst the flags of nations. It is easily visually
recognizable."
David Hume, 29 July 2014
![[Proposal promoted by John Key]](../images/n/nz!key.gif)
image by Kyle Lockwood, 25 October 2014
From
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10619557/Two-step-flag-referendum-outlined-by-PM-John-Key:
John Key will call a referendum on changing the NZ flag in 2015.
Flag
description:
A stylised Silver Fern, a New Zealand icon for well over 100
years, has been worn proudly by many generations of New Zealanders, from
sports people, to military personnel and fire-fighters.
The silver fern
is an element of indigenous flora representing the growth of our nation. The
multiple points of the fern leaf represent Aotearoa's peaceful multicultural
society, a single fern leaf spreading upwards represents that we are all New
Zealanders - one people - growing onward into the future.
The Southern
Cross, a defining element in the present New Zealand Flag, represents our
geographic location in the antipodes. The Southern Cross is visible
throughout the year in the southern night skies. It has been used as a
navigational aid for centuries and it helped guide early settlers to our
islands. Each star is also representative of the major island groups of
New Zealand - North Island, South Island, Stewart Island, and the Chatham
Islands.
Colours:
Red, is a significant colour to the NZ Māori,
and is featured in the present NZ flag. Red also represents the sacrifice
made by all New Zealanders during wartime.
White a colour featured in
the present New Zealand flag, white represents Aotearoa, Land of the Long
White Cloud, The official Māori name for New Zealand. The colour also
represents peace.
Blue a prominent colour in the present New Zealand
flag, represents the ocean, that surrounds our island nation, over which all
New Zealanders, or their ancestors, crossed to get to New Zealand.
Kyle Lockwood,
25 October 2014