What do the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander flags symbolise?
The Australian Aboriginal flag was designed by Indigenous artist Harold Thomas in 1971. It was a flag of protest; it was first flown on National Aborigines’ Day in Adelaide, then becoming the official flag of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. Many buildings, including town halls, fly the Australian Aboriginal flag alongside the Australian flag. Harold Thomas stated that the black in the flag represents the Aboriginal people of Australia; the red represents the red earth, the red ochre used to paint in ceremonies and the Aboriginal people’s spiritual relation to the land. The yellow circle represents the Sun – the giver of life and protector. The Torres Strait Islander flag was designed by Bernard Namok. It was adopted in 1992, after winning a design competition run by the Island Co-ordinating Council. It was recognised by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), who gave it equal prominence with the Australian Aboriginal Flag.