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Tahiti

The blue-white-blue flag
Hau Tahiti

The blue-white-blue flag

by zeljko heimer 21-MAY-1996

French Polynesia consists of five island groups: The Society Islands; The Marquesas Archipelago ("Hiva"),; The Tuamotu Archipelago; The Austral Islands; and, Mangareva (also known as the Gambier Islands). It would be my guess that the five stars on the flag represent these five divisions.
A similar flag for Mangareva is in use with horizontal white-light blue-white equalsized parallel stripes with five stars on it. Mangareva is, however, the smallest unit of the French Territory in both population and size.
max stanton 4-SEP-1995

The one we are familiar with has a Tahitian war canoe in the middle of it with sun rays behind it, sittng on three or four blue waves. We have never heard about the other blue and white flag. There had been some discussion long ago about incorporating some reference to the Southern cross. But to our knowledge the true Tahitian national flag, is the one with the war canoe on it. Moorea's flag looks somewhat similar to the blue and white one mentioned, but in 1986 it had three alternating stripes of color, green white and green, and in the center of the white section they had five stars arranged like an "x" configuation. The only other Polynesian flag I can remember clearly was the Bora Bora flag. I believe it had five thin stripes alternating red, white, red etc. To conclude we are not familiar with any leaves being on the Tahitian flag...
nk smith 20-NOV-1995

Hau Tahiti

a news report from Tahiti last night dealt with rioting by a pro-independence group calling itself Hau Tahiti. Prominently displayed was a flag, a horizontal tricolour of red white and red, with a central emblem on the white band which appeared to be a garland of green leaves around a yellow sun in splendour. Unlike most leaf garlands, it was a complete circle, like a circular lei.
james dignan 4-SEP-1995