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Malawi historical flags

History
Nyasaland 1914-1953 flag
Nyasaland Governor's flag
Governor-General's flag (1964-1966)

See also:

History

The territory was defined as British Central Africa in 1890. When the first explorers arrived in what is now Malawi, they asked the inhabitants what the big lake was called. 'Nyasa' they were told. So the lake was christened Lake Nyasa - which it will not surprise you to learn means 'Lake Lake'. 'Malawi', incidentally, means 'flaming waters' - an allusion to the reflections of the setting sun on Lake Nyasa. (Ironically, it is only possible to observe this phenomenum to best advantage from the Mozambique bank of the lake.) This symbolism also appears on the Malawian flag, which features a red sun.
Stuart Notholt, 22 Nov 1995

Nyasaland 1914-1953 flag

by Bruce Berry, 19 June 1998

On 11 May 1914 a formal grant of arms to Nyasaland was made. This comprised a leopard with a rising sun reflected against a black background. Coffee, having not lived up to its expectations as the major crop in the colony, was thus dropped as the main symbol of the territory.
Following this grant of Arms, a new flag bearing the leopard and sun was adopted as the flag of the territory. The Nyasaland Blue Ensign contained the arms in the fly (without roundel) and was used until 23 October 1953 when the territory was incorporated into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and the Federation flag was adopted.
Following the break-up of the Federation on 31 December 1963, Nyasaland received its independence as the Republic of Malawi on 6 July 1964 and adopted a new flag without any colonial connotations.
Please note spelling of Nyasaland (one 's' only).
Bruce Berry, 14 Oct 1997

Nyasaland Governor's flag

by Martin Grieve, 17 Jan 2003

The flag to be used by the Governor of the Protectorate of Nyasaland was a British Union Flag charged in the centre, on a white roundel, with the Arms granted to the Protectorate on 11 May 1914, namely: "Argent, on a Rock issuant from the base a Leopard statant proper, on a Chief wavy sable the Rising Sun Or".
In common with other flags used by British Colonial Governors, the Arms were within a green garland of laurel.
This flag continued to be used by the Governor of Nyasaland when Nyasaland became on of the constituent territories of the
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland between 1953 and 1963 and ceased to be used once Nyasaland gained independence on 6 July 1964 as the Republic of Malawi.
Source: SAVA Journal SJ: 3/94, The Union Jack over Southern and Central Africa, 1965-1994 by FG Brownell.
Bruce Berry, 17 Jan 2003

Governor-General's flag (1964-1966)

by Zeljko Heimer, 22 Mar 2003

We have no info on this briefly (if ever) used flag. From Flags of The World' by Bill Yenne, Published by Bison Books, 1993.
Zeljko Heimer, 22 Mar 2003