New Zealand Is Taking Public Submissions For A New Flag And Everyone Has Truly Outdone Themselves
The new designs include 'Happy Kiwi' and 'Fire The Lazar!'
Like us, New Zealand has had a number of debates about their national flag in the past few decades. Many argue that its use of the Union Jack puts undue emphasis on their place in the Commonwealth and doesn’t accurately represent the nation’s independence. Others attest it should be changed to pay respect to the country’s Māori heritage, acting as a symbol for the nation’s multiculturalism. More generally, everyone’s pretty sick of being confused with Australia all the time.
Finally stepping up to do something about all this, it was announced late last year that NZ would hold a referendum on the matter. Though the whole process will cost the government a cool $20 million, NZ citizens will be asked to vote in 2016 for either the original flag or a new design yet to be determined.
This week, the government launched an initiative called the Flag Consideration Project to initiate debate on this important matter and it’s shaping up to be an incredibly democratic process. Through the website and a number of discussion series across the country in the coming months, NZ citizens are being provided with historical information about the the current flag and a platform to consider how a new one could better symbolise what they now “stand for”.
But this is more hands-on than a simple vote. Through an online submissions process, people are also being asked to put forward their own designs. Specifically, NZ Prime Minister and serial ponytail puller John Key has encouraged people to create something that ditches the Union Jack in favour of a silver fern — a symbol with significance in Māori mythology that has since been adopted widely by broader NZ culture.
As a result, many of the current 850 submissions look something like this:
An amended version of a Kyle Lockwood design which has been gaining support in NZ for years.
Fortunately, because the internet is the internet, a few other brave souls have offered up their alternate designs. For optimum enjoyment please pop on the anthem, then scroll through and gaze upon the future of our proud sister nation.
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Happy Kiwi
“Because it portrays that we are a nation of happy, harmless kwis.” [sic]
The Happy NZ Flag
“i think it woudl make a good flag of nz because its yellow and is happy and it would really cheer people up.” [sic]
Bicycle Of NZ
“I believe it accurately represents the NZ people as hard working people from today on into the future.”
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All Black
“black like the night that descends over the nation. black like the void which keeps us apart.”
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Blue Sky Blue Sea
“Blue sky, blue sea. K.I.S.B Keep it simple Bro!, everyone has a blue sheet at home they can cut up, Bam! 12 flags from one sheet. We will have flag saturation! everyonr can afford to fly one.” [sic]
Red
“Red is cool …. Looks fast and easy to make. Flys upside down and inside out…. Dragons and NInjas like red…”
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Good Flag
“Animals, nature, blah, blah, blah.”
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Te Pepe
“That feel when our eyes gaze upon the flightless and majestic rare-Kiwi bird is a classic icon of NZ’s deep relationship with our ancestors, their spirit, land and culture. Te Pepe Tamariki, Te Papa Aotearoa.”
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Clean Green Kiwiana
“I would like the New Zealand flag to promote our Clean Green Environment.”
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Fush And Chups
“The yellow motif represents the golden sun, and the golden chips of this fair land. It’s our British heritage, filling our hearts with pride and our tummy’s with Kai. The Fish (Ika) represents the main source of food for Maori (after all the moa’s had been scoffed up and before the settlers arrived). We haven’t battered the fish so this flag is safe for all the gluten free people too.”
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Snapper Quota Unicorn
“New Zealanders are very interested in Snapper quota, and what better way to bring it to the people than this country’s native bird – the Unihorned Kiwi bird.”
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Southern Kiwi
“Bird accualy is kiwi. Is well known icon of our country and people. Also stars are southern cross and blue is pacific ocean. Where we’re from and how we got here.” [sic]
Sheep And Hokey Pokey
“This design represents all of NZ because we have lots of sheep and love hokey pokey ice cream. I even included the blue and red to keep all of you naysayers happy. Kiwi as bro.”
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Fire The Lazar!
“The laser beam projects a powerful image of New Zealand. I believe my design is so powerful it does not need to be discussed.”
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Nyan Kiwi
“This flag combines the Southern Cross and colour scheme of our existing flag, with the rainbow design of the popular Nyan Cat meme. This design uses the Nyan Kiwi. The kiwi’s colour represents our mixed race society, and its trail represents the colourful variety of cultures present in New Zealand society. The Nyan theme music could also be used as fresh, and simpler, national anthem.”
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MOA FLAG
“Simple yet elegant.”
A simple and elegant reminder of that bird we accidentally murdered.
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You can see the full gallery here and submit your own design before July 16. The best four will be chosen by a panel and, though odds are pretty slim on ‘Nyan Kiwi’ and ‘Snapper Quota Unicorn’, I reckon ‘Fire The Lazar!’ is in with a chance.