New Zealand could change its flag to feature a silver fern

(Image credit: Twitter/BBC)

last updated 15 December 2015

New Zealand has officially named an alternative to its national flag following calls to part with the current design, which is similar to Australia's flag and features the Union Jack, a symbol of British colonialism. The proposed challenger instead displays a silver fern and the Southern Cross; it was created by architect Kyle Lockwood and is the final choice in a selection process that began with over 10,000 submitted designs.

The silver fern: A New Zealand icon for over 160 years, worn proudly by many generations. The fern is an element of indigenous flora representing the growth of our nation. The multiple points of the fern leaf represent Aotearoa's peaceful multicultural society, a single fern spreading upwards represents that we are all one people growing onward into the future. The bright blue represents our clear atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean, over which all New Zealanders, or their ancestors, crossed to get here. The Southern Cross represents our geographic location in the antipodes. It has been used as a navigational aid for centuries and it helped guide early settlers to our islands. [SilverFernFlag.org]

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.