Flag of Papua New Guinea

The flag of Papua New Guinea was adopted on July 1, 1971 and consists of two triangles of red in the upper right and black in the lower left, separated by a diagonal line running from the upper left corner to the lower right. The red side depicts a bird of paradise, and the black side shows the constellation of the Southern Cross in the form of five white stars.

Meaning of the flag of Papua New Guinea

Red, black and yellow are the traditional colors of Papua New Guinea, namely:

• Red has been used by many tribes for rituals, ancestor honoring ceremonies, etc. The natural pigment red ochre, which was often used for body painting and jewelry, was one of the most valuable materials of the time and was associated with strength and protection;
• Black is associated with the earth and the underworld. Paint of this color was used to give warriors strength and courage, and in many Papua New Guinean cultures, black symbolizes a connection with ancestors, as well as wisdom and maturity. In addition, black is believed to represent the Melanesian origin of the population. The Melanesians are considered an indigenous people because of their long presence in these territories. Archaeological research has shown that the ancestors of modern Melanesians moved to the islands of New Guinea about 40-50 thousand years ago;
• Yellow is associated with the sun, wealth and prosperity. Yellow ochre, like red ochre, was often used in paintings and rituals to lure good luck, prosperity and fertility;
• The constellation of the Southern Cross. Five five-pointed white stars are depicted in the form of the Southern Cross, symbolizing the geographical location of Papua New Guinea. This symbol can also be found on the flags of other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, and even Brazil. The symbolism of the constellation lies in the fact that it can be seen in the starry sky of the countries whose flags it is placed on;
• Bird of Paradise. The national bird of Papua New Guinea is the Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea raggiana), also known as the Raggiana bird-of-paradise. It lives in the rainforests of New Guinea, and its bright color and long feathers, which form a spectacular fan during mating dances, have made it a symbol of the beauty and uniqueness of the country's fauna. The bird of paradise is a national pride and a symbol of freedom.

History of the Papua New Guinea flag

Archaeological excavations indicate that people have been on the island of New Guinea for about 60,000 years. The first settlers probably arrived there by sea from Southeast Asia during the Ice Age. In terms of contact with Europeans, the first sailors to reach New Guinea were the Portuguese and Spanish in the early 16th century. They traded with the locals, exchanging pottery, shells, food, and forest resources. The famous Portuguese explorer Jorge de Menezes was probably the first to reach the shores of New Guinea in 1526-1527. At the same time, the Spaniards, in particular Alvaro de Mendaña, also explored the region in the 1560s. Despite the explorations of Spanish and Portuguese navigators, their flags did not establish themselves on the territory of New Guinea, as these states did not exercise long-term political or military control over the islands.

In the 17th century, the Dutch actively explored the region and systematically mapped New Guinea. In 1623, the Dutch navigator Jan Carstens visited the southern coast of New Guinea. However, as in the case of the Spanish and Portuguese, the Dutch did not establish a permanent colony and therefore did not plant their flag on the territory. The British also made expeditions to Papua New Guinea before the official declaration of the protectorate in 1884. One of the most famous explorers was Captain James Cook, who visited neighboring islands such as New Ireland in 1774 on his second voyage to the Pacific.

Although Cook did not land on New Guinea, he did influence later British exploration and colonial efforts. In the 18th and 19th centuries, French explorers also traveled to Papua New Guinea. For example, Louis Antoine de Bougainville conducted research in the Pacific in the 1760s. Although he did not plant his flag on the island, his expedition was part of a broader French interest in the region. Beginning in 1884, the territory of modern-day Papua New Guinea became the object of colonial rule by two powers, Britain and Germany. It was impossible for two states to simultaneously govern the same territory, so the territory was divided into:

• British New Guinea: Britain ruled the southeastern part of New Guinea, including the territory known today as Papua;
• German New Guinea: Germany controlled the northeastern part of the island, including the adjacent islands that are now part of Papua New Guinea.

The flag of British New Guinea was the Union Jack, and the flag of German New Guinea was the Imperial German flag (black, white, and red tricolor), flown in the canton, with a black lion holding a red heraldic lily on the right side of the flag. The lion symbolizes strength and power, and the heraldic lily symbolizes nobility and purity.

In addition to the usual British Union Jack, there are British colonial flags that have a typical design: the Union Jack in the upper left corner (canton) and various symbols, letters or coats of arms on the right side of the flag (usually on a blue or red background). Such flags were also used on the territory of modern Papua New Guinea:

• “N.G.” (New Guinea): This flag was used to denote the territory of British New Guinea and the British administration. The flag had a traditional blue or red background (depending on the purpose: red for the civilian navy and blue for government agencies) with Union Jack in the canton. On the right side of the flag were the letters “N.G.” - an abbreviation for “New Guinea”;

• “B.N.G.” (British New Guinea): This version of the flag represented “British New Guinea”, which became an official colony in 1888. The design was similar to the previous version: Union Jack in the canton and the letters “B.N.G.” on the right side of the flag;

• “T.N.G.” (Territory of New Guinea): After the First World War, when German New Guinea came under the mandate of the League of Nations, the territory was transferred to Australian administration as the “Territory of New Guinea”. The flag used in this territory was a traditional British design with the letter “T.N.G.” on a blue background, symbolizing “Territory of New Guinea”;

• “PAPUA": The flag with the inscription “PAPUA” was used to denote the Papua Territory, which included the southeastern part of New Guinea after it came under Australian administration in 1906. This flag symbolized the administration of the territory under the Australian mandate.

During the Second World War, in 1941, Japan already controlled significant territories in Asia, including the Philippines, Indonesia, and islands in the Pacific Ocean. As part of its expansion plan, the Japanese army launched an invasion of New Guinea in early 1942. Their first success was the capture of Rabaul on the island of New Britain in January 1942, which quickly became the main Japanese military base in the region. Japan gained control of cities such as Madang, Vevak, and Buna, while the southern part of New Guinea, including Port Moresby, remained under the control of the Allies, who managed to stop the Japanese forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea and during the Kokoda Road campaign. The Japanese flag, known as the Hinomaru (日の丸), was raised in the occupied territories.

One of the most important battles was the Battle of Mila Bay in August 1942, where Japanese troops were defeated by Australian and American forces. The Kokoda Road Campaign, which lasted from July to November 1942, was one of the most difficult battles on the Pacific Front, when the Japanese tried to capture Port Moresby but were defeated. In 1943, the Allies launched a large-scale counteroffensive, gradually pushing Japanese troops out of New Guinea. By the end of 1944, the main Japanese forces were defeated or retreated, and the territories of New Guinea were liberated from occupation. After the war, Papua New Guinea returned to the control of Australia, which governed it until independence in 1975.
Thus, the last flag used until the adoption of the modern flag in 1971 was the Australian flag. But it was used for several periods:

• Papua Territory (1906-1949): In 1906, British New Guinea was placed under Australian administration and changed its name to Papua Territory. The Australian national flag was used for official purposes throughout the territory, on administrative buildings, government offices, and during official events;
• Territory of New Guinea (1919-1949): After the First World War, when German New Guinea was placed under the League of Nations mandate and came under Australian administration, the Australian national flag was also used in this territory;
• The United Administration of Papua and New Guinea (1949-1975): In 1949, the territories of Papua and New Guinea were united into a single administrative unit, the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. During this period, the Australian flag remained the main official flag.