Torres Strait Islander Flag

The Torres Strait Islander flag is an official Flag of Australia, and is the flag that represents Torres Strait Islander people. It was designed in 1992 by Bernard Namok. It won a local competition held by the Islands Coordinating Council, and was recognised by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in June 1992. The Government of Australia granted it Flag of Australia status, under the Flags Act 1953, on 14 July 1995.

Although Namok has since died, the Torres Strait Islander flag is still subject to copyright under the "Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)". The Island Coordinating Council manages the copyright of the flag but "does not stop commercial uses of the flag only because it has more pressing issues to attend to as part of its activities".

The green stripes at the top and the bottom of the flag symbolise the land, and the blue stripe in the centre represents the waters of the Torres Strait. The thin black stripes between the blue and green segments signify the Torres Strait Islanders themselves. The white five-pointed star at the centre of the flag represents the five major island groups, and the white headdress (dhari) around it also symbolises the Torres Strait Islands people.

External links

* [http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/otherflag.cfm Official Australian Government website] flag description (brief).
* [http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/education/cultural_protocol.htm Australian Broadcasting Corporation website on cultural protocol regarding Aboriginal and Thursday Island images including flags]
*FOTW|id=au-tores|title=Torres Strait Islander Flag