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New Zealand - Flag proposals for the South Island

James Dignan’s proposal
Dean Thomas' proposal

See also:

James Dignan’s proposal

image by James Dignan, 18 September 1997

This is the flag I designed last year as an imagined/proposed flag for New Zealand's South Island. I say "imagined/proposed", because if the opportunity presents itself, I will propose it officially. A new political party aimed at greater self determination for the South Island has been formed in the last couple of months, so perhaps the time to propose this flag is getting nearer... The flag contains the southern cross from the New Zealand flag, a link with New Zealand (either indicating that we are part of that country, or that we have developed from it - depending on the political climate at the time). The white and green represent the mountains, farmland and forests for which it is famous and from which it derives much of its income.
James Dignan, 18 Sep 1997

Dean Thomas' proposal

by Dean Thomas, 23 July 2004

This is the flag I designed earlier this year as an imagined flag for New Zealand’s South Island. There had been some debate about New Zealand competing in various events like the Commonwealth Games around the same time as Australians mulled competing as separate states in similar events. I used white as the basic color for the flag to represent the snow-clad peaks of the Southern Alps. The red lower stripe represents the traditional color of both the Maori and the British Empire, which shaped the nation. The inscription ‘Te Wai Poenamu’ is the Maori name for the South Island and copies several Maori flags that bore similar inscriptions. The New Zealand White Ensign was chosen for the canton as to blend into the white background, as well as to represent what nation the South Island belongs to.
Dean Thomas, 23 July 2004

Te Wai o Pounamu means "The waters of greenstone (jade)".
James Dignan, 15 October 2005