Cultural Information
Aboriginal flag
Aboriginal Flag PMS colours:
- Black
- PMS 1795 – Red
- PMS 123 – Yellow
The Aboriginal Flag was designed by Harold Thomas, an artist and an Aboriginal, in 1971.
The flag was designed to be an eye-catching rallying symbol for the Aboriginal people and a symbol of their race and identity.
The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life.
Torres Strait Islander flag
Torres Strait Island Flag PMS colours:
- Black
- PMS 301 - Blue
- PMS 3288 - Green
The Torres Strait Islander flag is attributed to the late Bernard Namok of Thursday Island.
The flag is emblazoned with a white Dari (headdress) which is a symbol of Torres Strait Islanders. The white five pointed star beneath it symbolises the five major island groups and the navigational importance of stars to these seafaring people.
The green stripes represent the land, the black stripes represent the people, and the blue the sea. The flag as a whole symbolises the unity of all Torres Strait Islanders.
Declaration of the rights of Indigenous peoples
The United Nations has made a Declaration on the rights of indigenous people.
- The Declaration document
- To access the United Nations website visit www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/declaration.html
Last updated: 17 April 2008.