Story: Flags

Flags were sometimes presented to Māori chiefs and tribes by representatives of the Crown. This practice began after the New Zealand wars of the mid-19th century. The most commonly gifted flag was the Red Ensign, but the Union Jack was also presented. Here, Governor Lord Ranfurly hands a Union Jack to Hēmi Tūpara of Te Arawa in 1902. It was a gift from the Prince of Wales in recognition of the warm welcome he had received from Te Arawa during his visit to New Zealand in 1901 (when he was the Duke of Cornwall).