Red Iguana

Around this time of year the New Zealand flag invariably comes up as a topic for discussion. Many people seem to find it difficult to relate our flag to themselves and want a new flag to represent our country. I am of the opinion that we have one of the best flags of any nation. Why? Well let me tell you what the New Zealand flag symbolises for me.

It is predominantly blue. Blue, like the ocean, blue like the sky. As a country we are surrounded by ocean. Prior to air travel all of our forebears had to cross the ocean to reach New Zealand, their new home, the star of the Pacific. Now they come by air, still crossing great distances of blue. As a country we have more ocean territory than land territory and water and wind shape our geography and many ofthe activities we take part in as part of our daily lives.

To me the stars are both the Southern Cross (by which our forebears navigated to find New Zealand) and represent the four main islands or island groups of our country - Stewart Island (and those in the Southern Ocean), South Island, North Island and Chatham Islands. The stars are red with a white surround. Red for the passion of our people and white representing the purity, honesty and the virtues we aspire to through trying to be environmental leaders, peacemakers and generally good citizens of the planet. The stars have five points. In traditional anthropology, although now outdated, people were classified as one of five basic races. New Zealand is multicultural and is a mix of people from all over the world. To me the five points represent the fact that our people come from all parts of the world coming together in the nation of New Zealand. There is also the symbolism associated with stars. As a people New Zealand often punches well above it's weight and we are proud of that. We raise our children to aspire to reach for the stars, to be stars.

The Union Jack sits in the top left corner of our flag and although some people see it as a hangover of our days as a colony of the United Kingdom, to me it tells people about our government. We are a democracy, we have a Westminster based system of political governance and our judicial system also stems from the same origins. Some might say that the Union Jack is only relevant to those with British ancestry but I think they are looking too shallowly. To me it tells the world what sort of political and judicial structure we apply in the governance of our country.

Putting all of that together, I believe our flag suits us incredibly well. It tells the world what type of people we are, where we come from, how we operate as a nation and what we aspire to be. What more could you want from a flag?