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Flag and coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands

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Flag of the Pitcairn Islands
Flag of the Pitcairn Islands
UseCivil and state flag, state ensign Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flagSmall vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion1:2
Adopted2 April 1984; 41 years ago (1984-04-02)
DesignA Blue Ensign charged in the fly with the coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands
Coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands
Coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands
Adopted4 November 1969
CrestA Wreath Or and Vert on a Mount Vert a representation of the Pitcairn Island Wheelbarrow in front of a Slip of Milo leaved and fructed proper.
TorseGreen and yellow
ShieldAzure on a Pile in base Vert fimbriated Or a representation of the Bounty Bible proper and in base of the Anchor of H.M.S. Bounty Or.

Pitcairn Islands is a British Overseas Territory in the southern Pacific Ocean. Consisting of a set of four volcanic islands scattered across several hundred kilometers, three of the four islands are uninhabited. The coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands is the official emblem of the territory, which was incorporated in November 1969. The flag of the Pitcairn Islands consists of a Blue Ensign displaying the coat of arms and was adopted in April 1984.

Background

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Pitcairn Islands is a group of four volcanic islands which form a British Overseas Territory in the southern Pacific Ocean.[1] The four islands—Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno—are scattered across several hundred kilometres of ocean and have a combined land area of about 47 km2 (18 sq mi). While Henderson Island accounts for 86% of the land area, only Pitcairn Island is inhabited.[2][3] The Pitcairn Islanders are mostly descendants from nine British mutineers of HMS Bounty and twelve Tahitian women.[4]

Coat of arms

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The coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands is the official emblem of the territory, and was granted by royal warrant on 4 November 1969.[5] It features several symbols relevant to the ancestral history and culture of the Pitcairn Islanders, most of whom are descended from the sailors of HMS Bounty in 1789.[6] The blue, yellow and green of the shield symbolise the island of Pitcairn rising from the Pacific Ocean, while the anchor and Bible are symbols of the HMS Bounty. Additionally, the Bible symbolises Christianity, which was brought to the island by the mutineers. The shield is surrounded by a green and gold wreath, and crested by a helmet bearing a wheelbarrow and a slip of milo, a local tree, which represent the role agriculture played in helping the mutineers survive on the island.[7][8] The slip of miro also represents the wood used by Pitcairn Islanders for crafting souvenirs.[9]

Flag

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The flag of the Pitcairn Islands was granted on 2 April 1984.[10] It features a Blue Ensign (featuring the Union Jack of the United Kingdom) with the Pitcairn coat of arms defaced on the fly.[11] The design was suggested by the Island Council in December 1980 and granted later in 1984. It was first flown in May 1984, during a visit by the then-governor Richard Stratton.[12]

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References

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  1. ^ "British Nationality Act 1981 – Schedule 6 British Overseas Territories". UK Government. September 2016. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  2. ^ Furey, Louise; Ash, Emma (2020). "'Old Stones for Cash'. The Acquisition History of the Pitcairn Stone Tool Collection in Auckland Museum". Papahou: Records of the Auckland Museum. 55: 1–17. doi:10.32912/RAM.2020.55.1. ISSN 1174-9202. JSTOR 27008989. Wikidata Q106827302.
  3. ^ "Pitcairn Island, an idyll haunted by its past". Toronto Star. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Pitcairn's History". Government of the Pitcairn Islands. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  5. ^ Weekes 2008, pp. 17.
  6. ^ "The People of Pitcairn Island". Pitcairn Immigration. Government of the Pitcairn Islands. 21 August 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Pitcairn Islands flag". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Flags, Symbols & Currency Of Pitcairn". WorldAtlas. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Pitcairn Islands National Symbols". CountyReports. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  10. ^ Weekes 2008, pp. A–4.
  11. ^ Devereux 1992, pp. 7.
  12. ^ Poels, Jos (7 August 1996). "Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands". Flags of the World. Retrieved 5 May 2022.

Bibliography

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