Tahiti Flag PNG
French Polynesia is an overseas community of France in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of several archipelagos: the Society Islands, the Marquesas Islands, the Tuamotu Islands, the Tubuai Islands, and the Gambier Islands. The main, and at the same time, the largest island of French Polynesia is Tahiti. It is also home to the capital of the community, Papeete.
It is about Tahiti, and more precisely about the flag of this island, and formerly the Kingdom, that we will talk about today. Despite the fact that since the middle of the 20th century, all of French Polynesia has been under the official and regional flags of France, it does not mean that there was nothing before that.
History of the Flag
In ancient times, Tahiti was formed by volcanic eruptions, which is why it consists of two mountain ranges connected by an isthmus. However, no one can give the exact date of the founding and settlement of this island. It is only known that the first Europeans who reached the shores of Tahiti were the Spanish, and it happened in the 16th century.
The first Christian missionaries arrived on this paradise island only at the end of the 18th century, and this attracted the attention of Britain and France. In 1830, a violent confrontation for new territories between the two powers began, resulting in Britain being defeated and leaving Tahiti in 1838. In 1843, French Polynesia was declared a de jure protectorate of France.
But this does not mean that before the arrival of Europeans, there was no power and political system in Tahiti. The Pomare dynasty ruled here, and it was the Pomare dynasty that handed the reins of power over to the French. This happened during the reign of Queen Pomare IV. However, not everyone was happy with this decision, and a rebellion broke out on the island, which was suppressed.
After Pomare IV, Pomare V ascended the throne in 1877 and it was he who signed the historic document making Tahiti a colony of France. The new status of the islands was officially proclaimed in 1880.
1822 – 1829
The flag used by the island of Tahiti in the 1920s was colored entirely in deep red and had a white seven-pointed star in its upper left corner. This version of the flag did not last very long – only about seven years.
1829 – 1842
The new flag was adopted by the Pomare dynasty in 1829. The main colors remained the same, red and white, but the design was completely different. Now the flag was formed by three horizontal stripes — two thin red ones and a wide white in the center. This version of the flag stayed for longer than its predecessor.
1842 – 1843
After the islands were declared a protectorate of France, the Tahiti flag was rewarded again, with the red stripes getting thicker, and a significant element added to the upper left corner of the rectangle. It was the French tricolor, which overlapped the red stripe and a part of white. The French flag had a thin white outline.
1843 – 1880
The outline was removed from the French tricolor element, and now the red vertical segment of the small flag was merging with the red horizontal stripe of the flag of Tahiti. This version of the flag stayed active up to the beginning of 1880 when French Polynesia got a new status.
1880 – 1984
After the islands were declared a colony of France in 1880, the local flag was prohibited. Instead, the French blue white, and red tricolor standard was used as the official one. It lasted until the creation of a separate flag for French Polynesia, which happened only in the middle of the 20th century.
1984 – Today (French Polynesia)
The official flag of French Polynesia was adopted on November 23, 1984. Today it is used together with the Flag of France because French Polynesia is an overseas community of France. The flag consists of two elements: the historical red and white flag of Tahiti, and the symbol of French Polynesia, depicting a canoe against the sun and waves.
Meaning of Symbols and Colors
So, the flag of French Polynesia is a rectangular cloth with three horizontal stripes of red and white colors, where on a wide white stripe, in the center of the flag is placed the coat of arms of French Polynesia. The width of the center white stripe is twice the width of the red stripes.
Red and white are the traditional Polynesian colors. They have been used in all historical flags of the Kingdom of Tahiti since 1822.
As for the coat of arms, located in the center of the composition, it has the shape of a circle, which consists of blue and white waves in its lower half, while in its upper half, there are gold and white rays, and the sun. On the waves is a canoe floating, with a crew of five men. These five men with their arms raised, making them look like stars, represent the five island groups of French Polynesia.
The ten rays of the sun on the round coat of arms also have their own meaning, as the sun is also a traditional Tahitian symbol representing life, warmth, and creativity. In Tahitian mythology, the sun is considered a god who gives life and warmth to people. And the five rows of sea waves under the canoe symbolize wealth.
Use of the Flag
The flag of French Polynesia was officially adopted on November 23, 1984, by the Assembly of French Polynesia. As French Polynesia is a territory of France, the French Constitution stipulates that the national flag of French Polynesia be displayed together with the French tricolor.
Incidentally, since the 1980s, Tahiti has allowed the use of the kingdom’s historic red and white striped flag, but only unofficially.
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms of French Polynesia became regional in 1984, the same year as the official flag. The coat of arms is the centerpiece of the flag and reflects the cultural and geographical significance of the island territory.
The coat of arms of French Polynesia is a circle with the image of a red canoe with five passengers, drawn on a blue-white-yellow background.
The red canoe here symbolizes courage and readiness to defend the country. The five men are the archipelagos on which the state is located. Blue color – the ocean, geographical location, and the main economic focus of the islands. And the yellow-orange background is a symbol of sunshine and a bright future.
