KBMI Hamilton NZ: NZ flag

I am Indonesian, yet living in New Zealand and my daughter is a New Zealander since she was born here. Therefore, it's still fair enough, I suggest, for me to write about Kiwi patriotism and nationalism instead of one I currently have at the moment. Some day later they're going to teach her in some way.

Seeing the current NZ flag, I have impression that it should be similar with one the Australia nation has. There is Union Jack with two stars missing in the Southern Cross. I don't know much about the history of the NZ own patriotism and nationalism. Unlike the USA, what I know they really fought the British Empire with blood and flesh.

However, I understand that the modern patriotism and nationalism don't need blood and flesh to be sacrificed. The modern patriotism and nationalism are much like not denying your existence in how you should react against international event, news, discussion or anything.

Indonesian patriotism and nationalism have been established since the time of the Majapahit Empire on Java in 14th century which captured almost all area in the South East Asia region. The flag is a kind of Jack with nine red-white strips.

Then, such kinds of patriotism and nationalism have been continuing until the Independence Revolution War in 1945 - 1949 when many Indonesian people fought the Allies for their intention to help the Dutch to rule back Indonesia after the Declaration of Independence of Indonesia in 1945.

The Indonesian flag is simple and meaningful. It's only one red-white strip with 2:3 ratio. Red means brave and white means pure, holy and honesty. There's one song lyric defines it as our red blood and white bones showing emphaty of the Indonesian people with their national flag.

In NZ case, most of New Zealanders also really want to show their emphaty with their beautiful land and nature in the new NZ flag. New Zealand is well known as a peaceful country with non-arrogant and non-patronising people, low crime rate, clean atmosphere, good environment, beautiful nature and no-snake bush.

It's about the time to show NZ own identity as a great nation and mature state apart from the British monarchy. If someone asks me which flag I like, I would say the red-blue one with the silver fern in the border and southern cross in the blue side. It's colourful and meaningful.