Flag of French Polynesia
 Flag of French Polynesia | |
| Use | Civil and state flag |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | 23 November 1984 |
| Design | Two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio, with the Coat of arms centred on the white stripe |
| Le Tricolore | |
 | |
| Use | National flag, civil and state ensign |
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | 15 February 1794 |
Historical Background and Adoption
[edit]The flag of French Polynesia features a stylized canoe with five figures under a golden sun on blue waves, symbolizing the region’s cultural identity, maritime heritage, and the unity of its five archipelagos under longstanding French administration.[1]
The flag of French Polynesia, adopted officially on 23 November 1984 and replaced the old national flag that was officially adopted in 1958.[2] It is a relatively new national symbol that reflects the region’s changing political and cultural identity. Although it remains an overseas collectivity of France, various political and cultural developments throughout the 20th century contributed to the emergence of local symbols of identity, including the flag. According to the articles of adoption, the flag of French Polynesia must be displayed with the French tricolor, and may be displayed with the flags of the component archipelagos. The French Polynesian flag must be displayed to the left of the French flag, and the flag of the archipelago must be displayed to its right.[3]
The broader decolonization process in the Pacific, such as the Matignon and Noumea Accords in neighboring New Caledonia, influenced regional discussions on autonomy and representation.[4] The Society Islands, including Tahiti, were annexed by France in stages, starting with the establishment of a French protectorate in 1842 and being formally declared a colony in 1880. During the colonial period, only the French national flag was used, and no official symbols representing local culture were reognized.
In the mid-20th century, movements advocating for local political representation and cultural recognition began to emerge. After the Second World War, global discussions on decolonization and self - determination gained momentum. In 1946, French Polynesia was redesignated as an overseas territory of France, and its inhabitants were granted French citizenship. In 1957, the territory was officially named “French Polynesia” and received internal autonomy, including the establishment of a local assembly. These political changes allowed for increased local participation in governance and laid the foundation for the eventual adoption of distinct territorial symbols.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, universal calls for a resurgence of Indigenous identity and postcolonial nationalism shaped the politics of symbols across several former colonies and territories. In French Polynesia, this led to the design of a flag that could express the territory’s identity while still acknowledging its administrative ties to France. The current flag replaced the previous one, which was officially in use from 1958. The old flag had the French tricolour in the upper left corner and a territorial symbol in the lower right corner, with the symbol being a boat - shaped pattern that paid homage to the territory’s maritime heritage.
Design, Symbolism, and Meaning
[edit]The flag of French Polynesia consists of two horizontal red bands at the top and bottom, separated by a central white band in 1:2:1 ratio; The yellow light symbolizes the sun and light, while the blue waves represent the richness of the Pacific Ocean;[5] the canoe has a crew of five represented by five stars that symbolize the five island groups;[6] red and white are traditional Polynesian colors.
At the centre of the flag is a circular emblem approximately 0.43 meters in diameter when displayed at official scale. The emblem features a stylized Polynesian double - hulled outrigger canoe (va‘a), shown sailing on blue waves.[7] The canoe includes five human figures, symbolizing the five archipelagos of French Polynesia: the Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Austral Islands, and Gambier Islands. This imagery represents cooperation and a shared identity among the islands, despite their geographical dispersion.
Below the central canoe motif, the alternating blue and white wavy lines evoke the Pacific Ocean’s ceaseless motion. The ocean has historically served as both a connective tissue and the lifeblood for Polynesian civilizations, sustaining island communities and enabling remarkable navigational feats.[7]
Above the canoe, there is a blazing FSM - style sun with ten alternating straight and wavy rays, representing life, development, and the life - giving force of nature. In Polynesian myth, the sun is often personified and revered as sacred, linking spiritual interpretations of the natural world with modern symbols of renewal and energy. The inclusion of the sun also subtly references traditional Polynesian celestial navigation techniques.[7]
The overall composition of the flag demonstrates a thoughtful synthesis of traditional symbolism with modern design principles. Its visual elements (canoe, sun, and waves) are derived from authentic Polynesian artistic traditions, while the stylized presentation adheres to contemporary flag design standards. Its main pattern is a canoe, which is not only a symbol of status but also an indispensable vessel for fishing and transportation. The figures on the canoe represent the five parts of French Polynesia respectively.[8] The colour palette is deliberately simple: the deep blue field represents both the sky and the sea, the golden yellow signifies prosperity and sacredness, and the white elements suggest purity and wave crests. These design choices create a flag that is easily recognizable whether flying at sea or displayed in diplomatic contexts, while maintaining deep cultural authenticity. The flag’s motifs reflect key themes such as navigation, community, and the relationship between people and the ocean, and it is frequently used in educational materials, government publications, and visual interpretations by local artists and designers. It is also featured in cultural events and heritage displays, where it functions as a representation of collective identity and historical continuity.[7]
The flag is rectangular, with a length of 1 meter (3.28 feet) and a width of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet). The red, white, and red stripes are of equal length, and the central white stripe is twice as wide as the two red stripes. The flag’s central symbol is a white circle with a diameter of 43 centimeters (16.9 inches), within which is a Polynesian canoe with red sails.[9] The canoe and sail are outlined in brown, with two small statues on each of the two bow - heads, and five patterns on the platform between the two canoe hulls, representing the five archipelagos of French Polynesia. Behind the canoe is a sun depicted with 10 golden rays, symbolizing life, and the canoe is set in an azure sea depicted by five rows of waves, with the ocean symbolizing richness.[9]
According to the French Flag Institute [website], “The adopted and standardized colours are: Red = PMS 185C, Blue = PMS 286C, Yellow = PMS 116C”.[10] Other colour sources, such as Vexilla Mundi, provide colours in the Pantone system: PMS Warm Red C, PMS White, PMS 123C (Yellow), PMS 280C (Blue), and 181C (Brown).[10] Flag colour codes offer the following colour values: Red: Hexadecimal: #CE1126, RGB 206 - 17 - 38, CMYK 0 - 92 - 82 - 19, Pantone 186 C, RAL 3028; White: Hexadecimal. #FFFFFF, RGB 255 - 255 - 255, CMYK 0 - 0 - 0 - 0, Pantone N/A, RAL N/A; Gold: Hexadecimal: #FF9C10, RGB 255 - 156 - 16, CMYK 0 - 39 - 94 - 0, Pantone 1375 C, RAL 1028; Blue: Hexadecimal. #083D9C, RGB 8 - 61 - 156, CMYK 95 - 61 - 0 - 39, Pantone 283 C, RAL 5005.[10]
Official Protocol, Display Rules, and Public Usage
[edit]According to the official guidelines defined in the 1984 territorial regulations for using and displaying the French Polynesian flag, when the flag of French Polynesia is displayed in conjunction with the French flag, the French flag takes precedence.[11] The flag is permanently hoisted in front of institutional buildings (the Presidency, the Parliament, the Economic, Social, and Cultural Council), as well as government buildings and monuments during formal ceremonies. The national flag is raised at the Presidency during the weekly Council of Ministers meeting held every Wednesday.[12] A decree of the territorial government on flag - hanging, issued on 4 December 1985, stipulates that the flags of the archipelagos and islands of French Polynesia can be hung next to the territorial flag and the national flag.[12]
All vessels registered in French Polynesia must be “francisés” (chartered vessels). Even small boats sailing between the islands are required to fly the French flag. Although the region has recently obtained new conveniences in the registration process, there is no formal Polynesian flag mentioned in customs regulations (the General Directorate of Customs is responsible for vessel chartering).[11] Article 14 - 9 of the territorial regulations clearly states that the French government retains the power to carry out chartering acts. Some vessels navigating in the region’s waters can continue to fly their national flags while awaiting final French registration.[11]
Beyond its official use, the flag has been claimed by many locals in recent years as a source of pride and a symbol of cultural revival. It appears on consumer product labels, in local art, and educational materials. In schools, citizenship education aims to ensure that younger generations understand the territory’s relationship with the French Republic. However, its use in public also reflects broader discussions about identity, colonial history, and the possibility of independence. Political movements in French Polynesia, especially those advocating for complete sovereignty, have questioned the flag’s symbolism and its placement next to the French tricolour. For these groups, the flag symbolizes a step toward self - representation but not a full expression of national independence.[11]
As a symbol of the freedom, recognition, and unity of all the people of French Polynesia, the flag establishes the territory’s identity in all official gatherings and events, both domestically and internationally.[12] On 20 November 1984, the assembly journalists submitted a resolution explaining the reasons for choosing the flag of Tahiti. They declared: “For Tahiti and its islands, this flag will always symbolize the freedom, responsibility, and initiative of a people looking to the future and maintaining the dignity and achievements of the future through its traditional values, and will continue to do so for future generations”.[12]
Flags of the Five Archipelagos and Regional Variations
[edit]
French Polynesia consists of five major archipelagos, each with its own distinct symbols, unofficial flags, and visual motifs to express its cultural identity.
Society Islands
[edit]As the political and economic hub of French Polynesia, the Society Islands, with Papeete on Tahiti as the capital, have no official flag. However, regional identity is conveyed through widely recognized symbols. The Tahitian tiare flower and depictions of the goddess Hina appear in local art, festivals, and public branding, serving as informal yet enduring markers of cultural heritage. The flag of French Polynesia is similar to the red - white - red tricolour flag of Tahiti, the largest and most populous island in French Polynesia, but the Tahitian flag has no coat of arms in the white stripe.[13]
Marquesas Islands
[edit] | |
| Proportion | 2:3 |
|---|---|
| Adopted | 1970s |
| Design | Diagonal tricolor of white, yellow, and red with a traditional black tiki face in the upper hoist. |
The Marquesas Islands use an unofficial flag featuring traditional iconography, including motifs derived from indigenous tattoos, ancestral figures, and the archipelago’s dramatic mountainous terrain. This flag is frequently displayed at cultural gatherings, reinforcing Marquesan identity within the broader Polynesian context. The Marquesas Islands flag was designed by the founding members of the Motu Haka Association on 30 December 1978. The flag is rectangular, 1 meter long and 1.5 meters wide, and consists of four parts of different colours: a yellow polygon at the top, a red polygon at the bottom, and a white triangle on the left. The three colours meet at the centre of the flag.[14] A “matatiki” is placed inside the white triangle. The outer frame of the flag is a blue rectangle, which should not be shown on the flag but is used to place the triangle. The “matatiki” literally means the image of Tiki, the first man in Marquesan mythology who invented the art of sculpture and tattooing, and its main symbols are derived from his body.[14] The yellow (“èka”) symbolizes youth and celebration, the red (“kuà”) is the “Tapu” (sacred) colour of the chiefs, and the white (“maïta”/“tavaïè”) is the “Tapu” (sacred) colour of the priests. The flag was officially regulated by Municipal Motion No. 33, which was passed by the Marquesas Islands Community Council on 30 November 1998 (10 votes in favor, 2 votes against) and published on pages 4806 - 4808 of the Official Gazette of French Polynesia on 15 March 2019.[14]
Tuamotu Archipelago
[edit]The Tuamotu Archipelago, spanning a vast area of coral atolls, lacks an official flag but has an informal design used in local contexts. Common elements include wave patterns and fish imagery, highlighting the islanders’ historical reliance on the ocean for sustenance and cultural traditions. The Tuamotu Archipelago flag has a 2:3 ratio, with horizontal red, white, and red (1:1:1) sections and a blue vertical stripe along the flagpole that extends two - sevenths of the flag’s length.[15] Two rows of eight blue stars are inlaid in the white vertical stripe. The specified colours are red Pantone 185c and blue Pantone 286.[15] The 16 stars represent the 16 municipalities that make up the archipelago, not the number of its islands and atolls. The red - and - white stripes evoke the flag of French Polynesia, and the blue stripe evokes the French flag and also symbolizes the sky and the ocean. This flag was a new flag in 1975 and flew over many town halls in the Tuamotu Archipelago, except in Ana, the birthplace of the Pomare royal family.[15]
Austral Islands
[edit]The Austral Islands, the southernmost group in French Polynesia, are represented by an unofficial flag with five stars symbolizing the principal islands. The design incorporates traditional weaving patterns and maritime themes, and its red, white, and blue palette mirrors the territorial flag, balancing regional identity with broader Polynesian ties. The archipelago stretches over 1,300 kilometers in a volcanic arc extending toward the Cook Islands. The Austral Islands flag, has a 2:3 ratio and is composed of red - white - red (1:3:1) bands horizontally, with a blue coat of arms inlaid in the white stripe.[16] The coat of arms consists of a Penu pattern surrounded by five blue stars. The red stripe indicates that the archipelago is part of French Polynesia. The five stars represent the five high islands that make up the Australs.[16] The Penu is a traditional pestle made of volcanic stone, and the most famous Penu tools came from the island of Maupiti (near Bora Bora in the Society Islands). The Penu - making craft in Maupiti was highly regarded for the quality and beauty of its products; this production process stopped unexpectedly at the end of the 19th century and was revived in the 1970s.[16] A short film on the website of the Institut de la communication individuelle in French Polynesia tells the story of a fine Penu from Maupiti. In 1966, its owner donated this Penu to the Museum of Tahiti and its Islands. The Penu in Maupiti has a unique T - shape, and the Penu on the flag of the Austral Islands is likely this local - specific shape.[16]
Gambier Islands
[edit]The Gambier Islands, the smallest and most remote of French Polynesia’s five main archipelagos, have no widely adopted regional flag. However, local symbols occasionally appear at community events. Cultural identity here is preserved through oral traditions, religious ceremonies, and spiritual customs.[17] Despite their isolation and lack of a formal emblem, the Gambier Islands maintain a distinct cultural presence within the broader territory. The Gambier Islands flag has a 2:3 ratio and is composed of white, blue, and white (1:1:1) colours horizontally, with five stars placed as follows: 2 (blue stars in the upper white stripe), 1 (white star in the middle blue stripe), and 2 (blue stars in the upper white stripe).[16] The blue colour is Pantone 286c. In 1837, the sailor Armand Mauruc, who wanted to trade under the flag of Gambier, persuaded King Maputeoa to adopt a national flag. The four blue stars in the four corners of the flag represent the islands of Mangareva, Taravai, Aukena, and Akamaru, and the central white star represents the isolated island of Temoe.[16] Blue symbolizes the ocean, white symbolizes purity and the spread of the gospel in the archipelago, which began in 1837.[18]
Flags of component archipelagos
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Flag of the Leeward Islands -
Sports Flag of the Leeward Islands -
Flag of the Tuamotu Archipelago
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Flags of the Society Islands
[edit]Leeward Islands
[edit]
Windward Islands
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Flag of Tahiti -
Flag of Moorea-Maiao
Flags of the Tuamotu Archipelago
[edit]
Flags of the Austral Islands
[edit]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Délibération n° 84-1030 AT du 23 novembre 1984 portant approbation du drapeau et des armes de la Polynésie française". lexpol.pf.
- ^ Schafer, Norm (18 February 2023). "Discovering the Meaning Behind the French Polynesia Flag". Far and Away Adventures. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ "Arrêté n° 1196 CM du 4 décembre 1985 réglementant l'apposition et l'exposition de drapeaux, pavillons et emblèmes le long des voies publiques et sur les bâtiments administratifs, édifices et monuments de service public". emblemes.free.fr. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ Fisher, Denis (2013). France in the South Pacific: Power and Politics. ANU PRESS. p. 3. ISBN 9781922144959.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "National flag of French Polynesia. History of the French Polynesia flag. National Anthem of [enTitle] | - CountryReports". www.countryreports.org. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ "The Flag of French Polynesia". flagdb.com. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d Veitayaki, J., Huffer, E., Kensen, M., Kitolelei, S., Vave, R., Vunibola, S., & Young, L. (2024). Solwara, Moana, Ocean and Local Communities – The Social, Cultural and Economic Connections. In S. Ratuva, A. Singh, B. Hayward, V. Iese, J. Veitayaki, C. La’ala’ai-Tausa, H. Waqa-Sakiti, E. Holland, J. Dehm, L. Young, E. Drugunalevu, A. Ward, S. Vunibola, D. Gharbaoui, M. Gauna, & D. Garcia (Eds.), Pacific Ocean and Climate Crisis Assessment Report (p.11). Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies Press and Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.26021/15681
- ^ "National flag of French Polynesia. History of the French Polynesia flag. National Anthem of [enTitle] | - CountryReports". www.countryreports.org. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b "French Polynesia Government Presidency". web.archive.org. 15 October 2004. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "French Polynesia". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d "French Polynesia". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d "French Polynesia Government Presidency". web.archive.org. 15 October 2004. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ "Flags, Symbol & Currency of French Polynesia". WorldAtlas. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "Tuamotu Islands (Tuamotu and Gambier Islands, French Polynesia)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Austral Islands (French Polynesia)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Hereniko, Vilsoni (1999). "Representations of cultural identities". Inside out: Literature, cultural politics, and identity in the new Pacific. p. 137.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Gambier Islands (Tuamotu and Gambier Islands, French Polynesia)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Flags of French Polynesia at Wikimedia Commons
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