Papua New Guinea Flags – PNG Flag, Bunting & Hand Flags

The Papua New Guinea flag: bird of paradise and Southern Cross

The flag of Papua New Guinea is split diagonally from the upper hoist to the lower fly: the upper triangle is red with a gold Raggiana bird of paradise in flight, and the lower triangle is black with five white stars of the Southern Cross. It was designed in 1971 by Susan Huhume Karike, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, whose entry was chosen over a proposal from Canberra, and it was adopted on 1 July 1971, four years before independence from Australia on 16 September 1975. Red and black are colours found throughout the art, bilums and body decoration of the country’s many peoples, the bird of paradise stands for the nation’s emergence and freedom, and the Southern Cross links it to Australia and the other countries of the South Pacific. Our Papua New Guinea flag prints the bird with its long plumes in gold and keeps the red triangle at the top next to the pole.

Independence Day, the Kumuls and PNG in Britain

Independence Day on 16 September is marked with flag-raising, sing-sings in traditional dress and the Hiri Moale festival in Port Moresby, and the Goroka and Mount Hagen shows in the Highlands bring the flag out alongside hundreds of cultural groups. Rugby league is the national sport and a passion: the Kumuls toured Britain for the Rugby League World Cup held in England in 2022, reaching the quarter-finals, and the country is to have its own NRL franchise, giving PNG players a home team in Australia’s top league. Papua New Guinea is a Commonwealth realm with the King as head of state, so the flag takes its place on Commonwealth Day and at the Commonwealth Games, where its weightlifters have won medals. In Britain the PNG community is small, but the flag is in demand from rugby league clubs, mission and church groups, divers and trekkers back from the Kokoda Track, and schools studying the rainforest and the hundreds of languages spoken there.

Sizes, grades and fittings

For a pole or a rugby league clubhouse take the 5ft x 3ft; for a window or a classroom the 3ft x 2ft; for a large mast or a stage the 8ft x 5ft; and for a car or a hand pole the 20x12in. Flagtex is the printed woven polyester for indoor use and short outdoor spells; DuraFlag is the heavyweight knitted polyester with a double-stitched hem, made for long-term flying. Both have a sewn header with brass eyelets, and DuraFlag also comes with clips or rope and toggle.

Papua New Guinea bunting

Papua New Guinea bunting links rectangular pennants of the red and black flag with its bird and stars in 3m and 9m lengths. A 3m length works over a doorway, on a church noticeboard or on a stall; the 9m length lines a clubhouse, a marquee or a hall for 16 September. The pennants are double-sided printed polyester and stand up to a light shower.

Hand flags and table flags

PNG hand flags on wooden sticks come in 9x6in and 18x12in for rugby league tests, Independence Day services and school assemblies. The Papua New Guinea table flag is a 6x4in flag on a base for a desk, and the large wooden table flag at 18x12in suits a reception or a top table. Australia, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Indonesia are under world flags.

Papua New Guinea flag FAQs

Popular in this collection

• Papua New Guinea Flag (20x12in to 8x5ft, Flagtex or DuraFlag)from £6.99
• Papua New Guinea Bunting (3m or 9m)from £9.98
• Papua New Guinea Hand Flags (9x6in, 18x12in)from £5.99
• Papua New Guinea Table Flag 6x4in with Basefrom £1.98
• Papua New Guinea Large Wooden Table Flagfrom £3.98