Flags of the Past:

Exploring Symbols of occupation, sovereignty, identity, religious faith, and military alliance, in the New Zealand Wars

Introduction

For an estimated 5000 years, flags have served as powerful symbols for humans, carrying a wide range of meanings.
The first recorded flag to be raised on New Zealand soil was the Union Jack, hoisted by James Cook in 1769. This flag represented the British Empire. In that context, raising the Union Jack flag on foreign land was seen as a symbol of discovery and authority, regardless of the understanding or opinion of the indigenous people who belonged to the region.
Following early encounters with the Europeans, Māori were quick to recognize the power and ritual importance that settlers associated with the flags. They adapted and adopted these objects as tools to assert their own sovereignty and mana. Flags became useful not only for practical purposes such as helping with trade, but also as powerful symbols of identity and autonomy. This expression of identity aligned with long standing Māori traditions of showing identity and mana through carving, ta moko, whakapapa, and oral tradition.