New Zealand's first flag - social studies activities - Levels 4 and 5

20 March 1834: New Zealand chooses its first flag

The flag of the United Tribes

New Zealand's first official flag was this one, the flag of the United Tribes. It was selected on 20 March 1834 by 25 chiefs from the far north who, with their followers, had gathered at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. A number of missionaries, settlers and the commanders of ten British and three American ships were also present. The official British Resident, James Busby, spoke to those gathered and then asked each chief to come forward in turn and select a flag. The son of one of the chiefs recorded the votes. The preferred design, a flag already used by the Church Missionary Society, received 12 out of the 25 votes, with the other two designs receiving 10 and 3 votes, respectively. Busby declared the chosen flag the national flag of New Zealand and had it hoisted on a central flagpole, accompanied by a 21-gun salute from HMS Alligator. The influence of the English missionaries is clear in the use of the St George cross.

The need for a flag to represent New Zealand had become an issue in 1830 when a New Zealand-built trading ship was seized in Sydney by customs officials for sailing without a flag or register. Australia, New Zealand's major trading market, followed British navigation laws that ruled that every ship must carry an official certificate detailing its construction, ownership and nationality. As New Zealand was not a British colony, New Zealand-built ships could not sail under a British flag or register. Without a flag to represent the new nation, trading ships and their valuable cargoes could continue to be seized.

James Busby saw the flag as a way of solving not only the problems with trans-Tasman trade but also of encouraging Maori chiefs to work together, paving the way for some form of collective government.

The flag of the United Tribes remained the official flag of New Zealand until after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in February 1840 when it was replaced with the British flag, the Union Jack.

Early disputes over the flag

After the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 the new lieutenant-governor, William Hobson, forcibly removed the United Tribes flag from the Bay of Islands. Some Maori, including Hone Heke, believed that Maori should have the right to fly the United Tribes flag alongside the Union Jack, in recognition of their equal status with the government. Heke's repeated felling of the flagstaff at Kororareka (Russell) between 1844 and 1846 was a vigorous rejection of the Union Jack, which he viewed as a symbol of British power over Maori. A New Zealand Company version of this flag was also hauled down at Port Nicholson (Wellington). It is interesting to note, however, that despite the Union Jack becoming the official flag in 1840, the United Tribes flag design was used on the back of a medal presented to a soldier of the South African War (1899–1902). This suggests that before the current flag was instituted in 1902, the United Tribes flag may also have been used to represent a distinct New Zealand identity, separate from that of the British Empire and Union Jack.

The current New Zealand flag

The New Zealand flag has a royal blue background 'reminiscent of the blue sea and clear sky surrounding us. The stars of the Southern Cross emphasise this country's location in the South Pacific Ocean. The Union Flag gives recognition to our historical foundations and the fact that New Zealand was once a British colony and dominion.'

This became our national flag in June 1902. At the time, we had sent soldiers overseas for the first time to support Britain in the South African (Boer) War.

Find out more by visiting the History of the New Zealand flag.

How unique is our flag?

One criticism of New Zealand's flag has been that it is too similar to Australia's, which is more widely recognised by people from other countries. There are arguments that this can be a disadvantage when it comes to recognising the brand that is New Zealand. By the 1990s there were increasing calls to replace the New Zealand flag. Organisations like NZFlag.com Trust were established to 'promote debate about New Zealand's national identity and, in particular, about New Zealand's flag', believing that the time had come to choose a flag that represents New Zealanders as they see themselves today – 'to respect and reflect our history as a nation, to represent us to others as we would like them to see us and, importantly, to carry us forward with our hopes and aspirations for New Zealand's future'. Campaigns were organised to present alternatives to the current flag, backed by celebrity endorsements and petitions aimed at changing the flag.

Those who have talked about the need for a new flag have found it hard to come up with an alternative that has broad appeal. Some of their critics have argued that this seems to be about branding a company as opposed to representing a nation. For others the criticism is based on experiences from the past. In the end there was not enough support to suggest a change was really wanted by a majority of New Zealanders.

Groups like the NZRSA (New Zealand Returned and Services' Association) have consistently opposed calls to change the flag. They claim that the current flag has served New Zealand for a long time, is recognised and, more importantly, was a flag New Zealanders had fought and died for. The RSA's campaign of bumper stickers of the flag with the caption 'Keep it this way' is one way they have responded to this debate.

Does our current flag represent the New Zealand of the 21st century?

There are some people who believe our current flag represents a link with Britain that is becoming less relevant to New Zealanders in the 21st century. They point to the fact that many people living here have no real connection with Britain. Others highlight what they see as the irrelevance of a flag that represents a former colonial power.

For many Maori in the 19th century, the Union Jack was frequently viewed as a potent symbol of Great Britain's power in New Zealand. In the New Zealand Wars, Maori parties who resisted government forces often devised their own flags to show their independence and counteract the mana of the Union Jack. See some of these other 19th-century flags on Flags used during the New Zealand Wars.

One flag that has become more prominent since the 1990s is the flag of the Maori independence movement, Tino Rangatiratanga.

Designed in 1990 by Hiraina Marsden, Jan Smith and Linda Munn, this was the winning design in a national contest to find a Maori flag.

The symbolism of the flag is as follows:

• The black represents Te Korekore or the realm of potential being. It represents the long darkness from which the earth emerged, as well as signifying Rangi – the heavens, a male, formless, floating and passive force.
• The red represents Te Whei Ao, the coming into being. It symbolises Papatuanuku, the earth mother, the sustainer of all living things, both the land and active forces.
• The white represents Te Ao Marama, the realm of being and light. It symbolises the physical world, purity, harmony, enlightenment and balance.
• The koru is symbolic of a curling fern frond, representing the unfolding of new life, hope for the future and the process of renewal.

There are some New Zealanders who would like to see this flag replace our current flag. Others argue that this flag divides New Zealanders as it has come to represent Maori nationalists and is regularly seen at protests and therefore does not represent all New Zealanders.

Should it stay or should it go?

Coming up with a design for a new flag is a tricky business. Assuming there was universal agreement that it was time for a change, trying to devise colours and a design that would meet widespread approval would be very difficult.

• What are some of the ways we could find out if New Zealanders really want a new flag?
• What are your own feelings as to whether or not we should change the flag?
• Is having a national flag really that important? Explain your answer.

If a competition was held to design a new flag that reflected New Zealand society now, what would you consider to be the important features to incorporate into this design? What would your flag look like?

• Write a brief describing your proposed design. You must justify each aspect of your design, including the colours or symbols used, for example.
• Sketch your design using the colours and/or symbols selected to provide visual support for your proposal.