Adopted On The 10th Of October 1970, The Fiji Flag Has A Defaced Pale-blue British Ensign; Despite A Number Of Politicians Calling For Flag Changes, It Has Stayed The Same Since 1987 When Fiji Was Acknowledged As A Republic. The Fiji Flag Of Today Is Very Comparable To The One Used Before Its Independence, The Major Differences Is That The Latter Had A Darker Blue Color And Showed The Whole Coat Of Arms Of Fiji, Contrary To Just The Shield. Even Though Several Reformists Have Asked For The Union Jack To Be Removed From The Fiji Flag, As It Is A British Colonial Symbol, Others Have Supported Its Retention For Historical Connection. A Few Influential Fiji Individuals Have Asked For The Full Coat Of Arms To Be Restored On The Flag. On The 30th Of November 2005, The Great Council Of Chiefs Necessitated That The Two Figures Of Warriors Guarding The Coat Of Arms, To Be Positioned On The Fiji Flag, Together With A National Motto Rerevaka Na Kalou Ka Doka Na Tui Which Means Fear God And Honor The Queen, As Well As Placing A Miniature Canoe; The Original Kingdom Of Viti Flag Featured These Emblems. The Kingdom Of Viti Was The First State Of Fiji To Be Unified In 1871 Forged Through Seru Epenisa Cakobau. The Present Fiji Flag Has The Union Jack On The Upper Left Which Symbolizes The Long Association Of The Country With Great Britain; The Blue Field Of The Flag Represents The Islands Surrounding Pacific Ocean; And The Coat Of Arms Placed Just A Bit Lower Than The Union Jack On Its Right. The Coat Of Arms Has Five Significant Figures, With The Golden British Lion That Holds A Coconut On Top Of All Other Figures, And Below It Are Four Panels That Show A Sugar Cane, Palm Tree, Dove Of Peace, And Bananas.There Are Four Ensigns Used In Fiji Aside From Its National Flag; The Merchant Ensign, The Government Ensign, The Naval Ensign, And The Civil Air Ensign. The Merchant Ensign Is Exactly The Same As That Of The National Fiji Flag Except For The Red Field Instead Of Pale-blue; The Government Ensign Is Also Similar But With A Dark Blue Field; Same With The Naval Ensign But Has A White Field; And The Civil Air Ensign Has All The Same Features As The National Fiji Flag Including A Pale-blue Field, But Has A Big Blue Cross Bordered With Thin White Line, Placed At The Center And Divides The Flag Into Four Panels.The Fiji Flag Has Played A Significant Role In The Countrys History Even In The Midst Of Coups And Political Instability; It Has And Still Is A Great And Proud Symbol Of The Fijian Peoples Independence And Remarkable Culture.
