Tokelau flag

Tokelau flag
	; ;
Vexillological symbol :	?
Aspect ratio:	1: 2
Officially accepted:	October 22, 2009

The introduction of the Tokelau flag and other new national symbols was decided on May 29, 2008 at a session of the regional parliament ( General Fono ).

However, the New Zealand government had to approve the draft before it was officially introduced . The flag was officially presented to New Zealand's Governor General Anand Satyanand on September 7, 2009. The flag was first hoisted in front of the New Zealand Parliament on October 22, 2009 .

Description and meaning

construction

"Azure a Tokelau Canoe Or in the hoist a constellation of the Southern Cross composed of four Mullets Argent."

- official blazon

"A stylized golden Tokelau canoe with full sails on a blue cloth, above it the constellation 'Southern Cross' made up of four silver stars."

- German translation

The blue flag shows a traditional Polynesian canoe with a yellow sail. To the left of this, four white stars represent the Southern Cross , which can also be found in the New Zealand flag.

Coloring

The blue of the Tokelau flag corresponds to the blue of the flag of New Zealand . The information in HTML , RGB , CMYK and as Pantone color does not represent exactly the same color, but only approximately correspond to one another.

Surname	Pantone	HTML	RGB	CMYK
blue	280C	# 006666	000 - 000 - 102	100 - 70 - 000 - 20
yellow	109C	# FFE600	255 - 230 - 000	000 - 10 - 100 - 00
White	001C	#FFFFFF	255-255-255	000 - 00 - 000 - 00

history

Since Tokelau is currently a dependent territory of New Zealand, only the New Zealand flag originally had official status on the archipelago. In 1989 an unofficial draft was presented. The three stars symbolized the three islands that make up Tokelau.

Finally, a political process was set in motion that was to finally determine Tokelau's future political status. At the same time, an ideas competition for the national symbols of the archipelago was announced. In two referendums on Tokelau's self-determination (February 2006 and October 2007), however, the independence advocates were unable to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority of votes for their cause, which meant that the previous status quo was maintained.

In June 2007 the regional parliament had already decided on the future symbols of an independent Tokelau. The proposal was already similar to the current version. However, the four stars were arranged according to the geographical location of the islands, which in addition to the three actual Tokelaus islands also included Swains Island . This belongs to the same chain of islands and is culturally closely linked to Tokelau, but politically it is part of American Samoa . Since the 2007 independence referendum narrowly failed, this flag was never introduced either.

Together with the other new national symbols, the current Tokelau flag was finally adopted at a session of the regional parliament ( General Fono ) on May 29, 2008. However, the New Zealand government had to approve the draft before it was officially introduced. The official presentation of the flag to the Governor General took place on September 7, 2009. and the flag received its validity on October 22, 2009.

^?1889 to 1937
^?1937 to 1949
^?1949 to 2009
^?since 2009

Earlier drafts

In 1989, an unofficial flag design was presented. It shows an atoll in yellow on a blue background, interrupted by a palm tree in green and three white stars, which are supposed to represent Atafu , Nukunonu and Fakaofo .

In June 2007, the regional parliament decided on the future symbols of the Tokelau. The design was already similar to the current version. However, the four stars were arranged according to the geographical location of the islands, including Swains Island , which is geographically and culturally part of the Tokelau Islands chain, but is politically part of American Samoa . Since the 2007 independence referendum narrowly failed, this draft was never introduced either.