Wallis and Futuna (France)

Overseas Territory of Wallis and Futuna, Territoire d'Outre-mer de Wallis-et-Futuna

Last modified: 2002-10-26 by santiago dotor
Keywords: wallis and futuna | wallis | futuna | france | maltese cross |
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by Zeljko Heimer and Mark Sensen respectively
Unofficial local flag adopted 1985, see its status below

• Status of the Local Flag
• Description
• Unofficial Variants
• Constituent Kingdoms:
  • Kingdom of Uvéa (or Wallis)
  • Kingdom of Alo
  • Kingdom of Sigave
• Historical Flags

See also:

• France
• French Overseas Entities
• French Colonial Flags
• New Caledonia (France)

I have a letter of the Secrétaire Général of the Territoire des ïles Wallis et Futuna dated 27 May 1994, who states, "le Territoire n'a pas d'emblème spécifique officiel. Le seul drapeau officiel est le drapeau National Tricolore" which translates, "the territory has no official specific emblem. The only official flag is the national tricolour flag".

Armand Noel du Payrat, 4 July 2000

While researching flags for my chart Flags of Paradise 1996 (Pacific Ocean), I came to the conclusion that the flag of (...) Wallis and Futuna Islands (...) flies both separately and along side the French tricolour [and] is the same basic design as shown in Znamierowski 1999 (see under Unofficial Variants). This flag was introduced in 1985 and therefore included in my chart (albeit a slight variation in design).

Ralph Bartlett, 4 July 2000

On a TV documentary (magazine Outremers) on Wallis and Futuna, they showed an official ceremony during which the three traditional kings and the prefet (representing the French government) were present. A lot of children waved French Tricolore and local flags (one in each hand). Several poles had been erected, and there was an alternancy of Tricoloe and local flags. As Armand du Payrat reported, the local flag does not have the official status the French Polynesian flag has, but it seems to be a "de facto official flag".

Ivan Sache, 4 July 2000

According to article 74 of French Constitution, the TOMs [Térritoires d'Outre Mer] and the territorial collectivities have a specific status. (...) In the TOMs, the national French laws shall not be applied, except if the specific texts are explicitely mentioned in the local laws. The constitutional revision of 9 June 1992 confirmed this status. Regarding the social rights, (...) citizens of the TOMs have their rights granted by the local governments.

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2002

Mucha 1985 says:

The flag is red with four white isosceles triangles placed in the middle. The triangles have their apexes turned towards the centre and are at right angles to each other in the upper hoist there is a small French tricolour separated from the red field by narrow white stripes. Red symbolizes courage, and white stands for purity of ideals. The triangles signify three native kings of the islands, and the French administrator; the French tricolour is a reference to French sovereignty. Except for this addition the flag is the same as that which dates from the time of the reign of King I. P. Lavelua in the 19th century. The flag has no official status.

Jarig Bakker, 4 July 2000

by Mark Sensen

This flag is unofficial but tolerated.

Pascal Vagnat, 14 December 95

by Vincent Morley

I have come across a third variant in the 1983 edition of the Grand Dictionnaire Encyclopédique Larousse. The distinguishing features of this version are:

1. A tricolour canton with a height equal to one quarter that of the flag.
2. The white square is centred and has a height equal to half that of the flag.

Vincent Morley, 20 July 1997

The image in Znamierowski 1999 differs from the ones at FOTW, so I am sending a scan.

Jarig Bakker, 4 July 2000