Last modified: 2001-09-08 by santiago dotor
Keywords: polynesia | french polynesia | political | independentist | tahiti | tavini party | stars: 5 (yellow) |
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![[Tavini Party (Independentist) Flag (French Polynesia)]](../images/p/pf-tav.gif)
by James Dignan
French Polynesia consists of five island groups. 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 September 1995
Do you know the independentist flag of Polynesia? It is the flag of Tavini party. It looks like the Argentinian flag (pastel blue, white, pastel blue) with five gold stars on the white band (drawing a cross, with the same signification as the five rowers [crosses] on the official flag).
Jerome, 28 November 1997
This is the flag of the pro-independence Tavini party - as seen during television broadcasts of the pro-independence riots in Tahiti, mid-1996. The dimensions are not guaranteed to be accurate, but the white band did seem to be considerably wider than the two blue bands.
James Dignan, 2 December 1997
In the Flags of Aspirant Peoples chart appears "175. Tahitinui (Pan-Polnesian Independence Movement) - French Polynesia." Identical to the Tavini Party flag in FOTW.
Ivan Sache, 17 September 1999
I was reading an old National Geographic Magazine from I believe May 1996, and the cover article was about French Polynesia, the article mentioned a lot about the independence movement in the islands (according to NGM, independence feelings are quite strong). The first few paragraphs mentioned that after the election of an independence party in a minority of seats, the white and blue flags of independence flew over the islands (not a direct quote).
David Kendall, 27 February 2000
I was recently in French Polynesia for vacation. I can tell the following, not given it for official, since it was my research and observation. (...) There is an independentist movement in the Society Islands with a blue-white-blue flag with yellow stars in the middle.
Gunter Zibell, 22 January 2001
The blue and white flag actually belongs to the independentist party (information given there by a sympathizer of the movement). I saw it on October 2000 at his home's patio, and it is easily seen in many homes at Tahiti and Moorea, though never in official places. Apparently it is not officially prosecuted.
Gunter Zibell, 25 January 2001
The stars on this photograph taken by Gunter Zibell appear to be all somewhat tilted to one side or the other. I asked Gunter Zibell and he confirms that the stars do not point all upwards — on the other hand, they do not appear to follow any precise geometrical orientation. While travelling in the islands he saw several versions, one of them with all stars downwards (possibly hoisted upside down). He believes the only way to find out would be to ask the party, but he ignores whether they speak English or even French. He thinks the Tavini Party is mostly supported by the lowest level of the population, who speak dialects of Polynesian, like Tahitian or Marquesan. He says it is even possible that every single Tavini flag is home made and therefore every individual sews the stars as he sees most fit!
Santiago Dotor, 29 January 2001
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 September 1995
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