Page 230 - (DK) Complete Flags of the World

Australasia and Oceania

Papua New Guinea

Ratio: 3:4 Adopted: June 24, 1971 Usage: National and Civil

The five stars represent Red and black are the
the Southern Cross, predominant colors in
but also refer to a local the native art of Papua
legend about five sisters New Guinea

A golden bird
of paradise

Australasia and Oceania
)NDONESIA Papua New Guinea gained full independence
5!
0!05!5!
5!
in 1975, following its status as a United Nations
Trusteeship under Australian administration.
The Australian administration THE COLORS OF NATIVE ART
attempted to introduce Papua New The colors of the field—red and
Guinea’s first official national flag in black—were chosen because of their
1970. Its choice was a vertically widespread use in the native art of
divided flag: blue at the hoist, with the country. The bird of paradise has
the stars of the Southern Cross as in long been a local emblem, and its
the Australian flag, then white, then feathers are used for traditional dress
green, with a golden bird of and in festivals and ceremonies.
paradise. The proposed design was
never popular with the local people. THE SOUTHERN CROSS
The flag is halved diagonally. The
A LOCAL DESIGN lower half features the Southern
The current flag of yellow and white Cross constellation in white on
on black and red was designed by black, as it would appear in the night
a 15-year-old art student, Susan sky, over Papua New Guinea. This
Karike, and officially accepted in signifies the link with Australia and
1971. When Papua New Guinea also recalls a local legend about five
became independent in 1975, it sisters. The red upper half bears a
was retained as the national flag. golden bird of paradise in flight.

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