What Does the Aboriginal Flag Represent?
The Aboriginal flag of Australia is a symbol of national unity for the Aboriginal people. The top half of the flag, which was created in the 1970s, is black, which represents the Aboriginal people. The bottom half of the flag is red, representing the country’s red earth. In the center of the flag is a yellow circle, which is meant to represent the sun.
In addition to representing Australia’s red earth, the red color on the bottom half of the flag also reflects the spiritual connection that the Aboriginal people have to the land. The yellow circle representing the sun also has a special significance, as Aborigines believe that the sun is the giver of life and the protector of the people.
The Aboriginal flag was created in 1970 by Harold Thomas, a Luritja man, and was first flown in Adelaide’s Victoria Square to commemorate National Aborigines Day on July 12, 1971. The next year, it was used at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra. In 1995, the Australian government made the Aboriginal flag one of the country’s three official flags, along with the flag of Australia and the Torres Strait Islander flag. The latter flag represents another subsection of Australia’s aboriginal population.
