Ethnic flag


An ethnic flag is a flag that symbolizes a certain ethnic group. Ethnic flags are often introduced to the ethnic community through the respective cultural or political ethnic movements.
They are popular among diasporas, ethnic minorities, and some ethnic majorities, especially in multiethnic countries.

History

Like the concept of a state's national flag itself, that of an "ethnic flag" is modern,
first arising in the late 19th century; strictly speaking, the national flags of nation states are themselves "ethnic flags", and often so used by ethnic minorities in neighbouring states, especially in the context of irredentism.
Ethnic flags are often used in irredentism, representing the "national flag" of a proposed or unrecognized state.
The first such flags were designed at the end of the 19th century, such as the Basque flag or the "Flag of Zion" used to symbolize Zionism from 1898, which became the national flag of Israel 50 years later.
Most early ethnic flags imply a connection with an unrecognized state claimed by the respective ethnicities, such as the flag of Kurdistan which originates as the flag of the Republic of Ararat.
A flag of the Hispanic People was designed in 1932.
Alternatively, an "ethnic flag" may represent a Pan-nationalism, such as the
Pan-Arab flag which originates as the flag of the Arab Revolt during World War I, the proposed flag of Pan-Slavism, Pan-Iranism or Pan-Turkism.
The concept of using ethnic flags to symbolize ethnic groups within a multiethnic state, not necessarily connected with irredentism, became popular in the later 20th century, such as the Australian Aboriginal flag, the Assyrian flag, the flag of the Romani people, the Berber flag, the Sami flag or the Māori flag.
Designing ethnic or tribal flags has become very popular since the 1990s, especially for online use, and mostly do not have any kind of "official" status and must be judged based on de facto use. In many cases, the national flag of a sovereign state is often seen and used as a de facto ethnic flag by its people.

Individual flags

imagenamegroupworld regionlinguistic phylumintroductionnotes
Métis flagMétis peopleAmerica, Northmixed; Michif1814Received from Alexander Macdonnell of the North West Company in 1814 and used by the Canadian Métis resistance in the Battle of Seven Oaks.
Circassian FlagCircassiansEurope, CaucasusNorthwest Caucasian, Adyghe1830; 1992Used by Circassians since the 19th century and Adygea since 1992.
Pan-Slavic coloursSlavsEurope, EasternIndo-European, Slavic1848Adopted by the Prague Slavic Congress, 1848, used as the ethnic flag of Sorbs, Moravians, and other Slavic-speaking minorities.
Flag of AcadiaAcadiansAmerica, NorthIndo-European, Romance, French1884Adopted at the Second Acadian National Convention held in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island, on 15 August 1884.
IkurriñaBasque peopleEurope, WestBasque1895Designed in 1894 for the province of Biscay, adopted in 1895 by "Euzkeldun Batzokija", adopted it as the flag of the Basque Autonomous Region in 1936, prohibited in Franco Spain 1938-1977, official adoption as the flag of the Basque Country in 1978.
Bosanski LjiljanBosniaksEurope, SouthSerbo-Croatian1992Formerly the national flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina until 1998.
Flag of the West Herzegovina CantonBosnian CroatsEurope, SouthSerbo-Croatian1992Formerly the flag of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia from 1992 to 1996.
Flag of ZionJewsAsia, WesternAfro-Asiatic, Semitic, Hebrew1898Introduced as the flag of Zionism at the Second Zionist Congress held in Switzerland in 1898; adopted as the state flag of Israel in 1948.
Flag of the Arab RevoltArabsAsia, WesternAfro-Asiatic, Semitic, Arabic1917Introduced as the flag of the Arab nationalist revolt against the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Hejaz in 1917. It became the basis of a number of flags using the Pan-Arab colors later in the 20th century.
Crimean Tatar flagCrimean TatarsEurope, EasternTurkic, Crimean Tatar1917Introduced under the Crimean People's Republic, now used as ethnic flag.
Pan-African flagBlack AfricansAfrica—1920Adopted in 1920 by the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, now used in Black nationalism and Pan-Africanism.
Flag of the Swedish-speaking FinnsFinland-SwedesEurope, NorthernIndo-European, Germanic, Swedish1922Used by the Swedish People's Party of Finland from 1922, based on a 1917 design.
Flag of LivoniansLivoniansEurope, NorthernFinnic, Livonian1923Used by Livonian Society in 1923.
Flag of the Korean National AssociationKoreansAsia, EasternKorean1928Designed by Yong-man Park. Due to the inherently ethnic nature of Korean nationalism, the South Korean flag is also seen and used as a de facto pan-Korean ethnic flag by many South Koreans.
Flag of the KurdsKurds, Kurdish irredentismAsia, WesternIndo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Kurdish1927Used by the Republic of Ararat in 1927, based on earlier designs used in the 1890s revolt.
Hispanic flagHispanidad, La RazaAmericasIndo-European, Romance, Spanish1932Winning entry in a contest organized by Juana de Ibarbourou in 1932.
Flag of the Romani peopleRomani peopleEuropeIndo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Romani1933Introduced by the General Union of the Roma of Romania in 1933, adopted at the First World Romani Congress in 1971.
Malay tricolourMalay people, MalaynessAsia, SoutheastAustronesian, Malay1946Introduced by the United Malays National Organisation.
Druze flagDruzeLevant, West AsiaWest Asian,1948Adopted by the Druze Mental Chiefdom based on "Five Limits Star Druze Star.
Flag of BiafraIgbo peopleAfrica, WestNiger-Congo, Igbo1967Flag of the irredentist Republic of Biafra, after 1970 used as ethnic flag.
Assyrian flagAssyrian people Asia, WesternAfro-Asiatic, Semitic, Aramaic1971A 1968 design adopted by the Assyrian Universal Alliance in 1971.
Australian Aboriginal FlagAboriginal AustraliansAustraliaAustralian1971Designed in 1971, given official recognition by the Australian authorities in 1995.
Flag of the Oglala Sioux NationOglala LakotaAmerica, NorthSiouan, Teton Sioux1961The circle of eight teepees on the flag represent the nine districts of the reservation: Porcupine, Wakpamni, Medicine Root, Pass Creek, Eagle Nest, White Clay, LaCreek, Wounded Knee, and Pine Ridge. The red field represents the blood shed by the tribe in defense of their lands and an allegorical reference to the term "red man," by which they were referred to by European Americans. The flag is sometimes used to represent the Great Sioux Nation at large and is the flag of the unrecognized Republic of Lakotah.
Flag of the Cherokee NationCherokee NationAmerica, NorthIroquoian1978Approved by the Tribal Council in 1978, altered in 1989.
Flag of the Choctaw NationChoctaw NationAmerica, NorthMuskogean, Western1860; 1970sFirst flag adopted in 1860 during the United States Civil War, becoming the first Native American Tribe to adopt a flag; the second form was approved by the Tribal Council in the 1970s and altered in the late 1980s to present form.
Flag of the MapuchesMapuche NationAmerica, SouthAraucanian, Mapudungun16th-17th century; 1991Original adopted during the Arauco War between the Mapuche and the Spaniards; a simple blue field with a white Guñelve star centered, representing the Morning Star. The modern rendition approved by Aukiñ Wallmapu Ngulam, also known as Council of All Lands, in 1991. It was chosen in a contest of 500 entries, and is called Wenufoye ; however, instead of the Guñelve star, a Kultrum is centered.
Aramean-Syriac flagAramaeans Asia, WesternAfro-Asiatic, Semitic, Aramaic1980Used by the Bahro Suryoyo journal in 1980.
Sami flagSami peopleEurope, NorthernFinnic, Sami1986Adopted by the 13th Nordic Sami Conference on 15 August 1986.
Tino Rangatiratanga flagMaoriOceania, New ZealandAustronesian, Maori1990Designed in 1990 and made the subject of an activist campaign until its official recognition by New Zealand authorities in 2009.
Torres Strait Islander flagTorres Strait IslandersAustraliaCreole, Torres Strait Island1992Recognised by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in June 1992, granted official status Australia in 1995.
Flag of Merina peopleMerina peopleAfrica, MadagascarAustronesian, Malagasy1997Since 1997.
Berber flagBerbersAfrica, NorthAfro-Asiatic, Berber1998Adopted by the World Amazigh Congress based on 1970s proposals by the Berber Academy.
Chaldean FlagChaldean ChristiansAsia, WesternAfro-Asiatic, Semitic, Aramaic1999Approved by the International Chaldean Association of Professional Visual Artists and various other Chaldean organisations. Designed by Amer Fatuhi.
Flag of the Hopi NationHopi peopleAmerica, NorthUto-Aztecan2002
Coptic flagCoptsAfrica, NorthAfro-Asiatic, Coptic2005This flag is not recognized by the Coptic Orthodox Church or the Coptic Catholic Church but is used by a New Zealand-based movement called "The Free Copts" as a sign of opposition to Islamic authority in Egypt.