The flag of the Cook Islands is based on the traditional design for former British colonies in the Pacific region. It is a blue ensign containing the Union Flag in the upper left, and on the right, fifteen stars in a ring. The Union Flag is symbolic of the nation's historic ties to the United Kingdom and to the Commonwealth of Nations. The stars stand for the fifteen islands that make up the Cook Islands (Tongareva, Rakahanga, Manihiki, Pukapuka, Nassau, Suwarrow, Palmerston, Aitutaki, Manuae, Takutea, Aitu, Mitiaro, Mauke, Rarotonga and Mangaia). The blue represents the ocean and the peaceful nature of the inhabitants.
From 1973 to 1979, the flag was green with the stars in yellow shifted towards the fly. The green colour represented continuous growth and life; the yellow represented the faith, love, happiness, and commitment shown by the islanders. The circle represented the union of the islands and the union between the islanders and the land itself.
Read more about Flag Of The Cook Islands: Historical Flags
Famous quotes containing the words flag, cook and/or islands:
“Justice was done, and the President of the Immortals, in Æschylean phrase, had ended his sport with Tess. And the dUrberville knights and dames slept on in their tombs unknowing. The two speechless gazers bent themselves down to the earth, as if in prayer, and remained thus a long time, absolutely motionless: the flag continued to wave silently. As soon as they had strength they arose, joined hands again, and went on.
The End”
—Thomas Hardy (18401928)
“The madness of love can always be suspendedto cook dinner or catch a plane, for instance.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-linethe relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea. It was a phase of this problem that caused the Civil War.”
—W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt)