Flag of Tonga

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Tonga flags flying above a ceremonial gate to celebrate the coronation of Tupou VI

The national flag of Tonga consists of a red field with a white canton charged with a red couped cross. Adopted in 1875 after being officially enshrined into the nation's constitution, it has been the flag of the Kingdom of Tonga since that year. The constitution stipulates that the national flag can never be changed.

HistoryEdit

The British first arrived in Tonga in the late-18th century, when Captain James Cook made three visits to the islands between 1773 and 1777.<ref name=BBC>Template:Cite news</ref> Approximately fifty years later, English Wesleyan Methodist missionaries came to Tonga and began converting its people to Christianity.<ref name=LP>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1831, they succeeded in converting "paramount chief" Taufa'ahau Tupou,<ref name=BBC/> who became King George Tupou I in 1845.<ref name=LP/> It was during this time (circa 1840s) that the first Tongan flag was adopted. It consisted of a white field with a cross (either red or blue in colour) at all four corners, and the letters "A" (in red) and "M" (in blue) at the centre that symbolise the king.<ref name=EB>Template:Cite encyclopedia Template:Subscription required</ref>

Upon his accession to the throne, the king sought to design a new flag for the nation,<ref name=EB/> one that would represent Christianity.<ref name=complete>Template:Cite book</ref> He befriended Shirley Waldemar Baker – a member of the United Kingdom's Tongan mission who later became the Prime Minister of Tonga – and they worked together to formulate a new flag, coat of arms and national anthem for Tonga.<ref name=LP/> According to Whitney Smith (Flags and Arms across the World, Maidenhead 1980) the chief designer was Prince Uelingatoni Ngu Tupoumalohi. The new design resembled the British Red Ensign, in that three-quarters of it consisted of a simple red field, with a "distinctive canton" featured in the upper hoist section; this was first used in 1866.<ref name=EB/> A new constitution for the kingdom was formulated and proclaimed on 4 November 1875.<ref name=LP/> It codified the new flag design,<ref name=EB/> and marks when it was adopted as the national flag.<ref name=complete/> Under Article 47 of the Constitution, the flag can "never be altered" and "shall always be the flag" of Tonga.<ref>Template:Cite book Template:Registration required</ref>

DesignEdit

SymbolismEdit

The colours and symbols of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The red couped cross alludes to Christianity,<ref name=EB/> the religion practised by approximately 97% of the country's population.<ref name=CIA>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is one of 28 national flags to contain overtly Christian symbols.<ref name="Michael Green - Vexillologist">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The white epitomizes purity,<ref name=complete/><ref name=CIA/> while the red evokes the sacrifice of the Blood of Christ, which was shed during the Crucifixion.<ref name=EB/><ref name=complete/><ref name=CIA/>

File:Flag of Tonga (construction sheet).svg

Construction sheet flag

SimilaritiesEdit

The previous design of the flag featured a plain white field charged with the red couped cross. However, it was later discovered that this flag was almost identical to the emblem of the International Red Cross, which had been adopted in 1863. As a result of this finding, the Tongan flag was set at the canton of a red field instead, leading to the present design of the flag.<ref name=complete/> The previous design, nonetheless, remains a national symbol of Tonga.<ref name=CIA/> The current flag of Tonga also has some similarities with the flags of Switzerland and Georgia.

GalleryEdit

Historical flagsEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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