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Respect the Flag?

Entry 2398, on 2025-05-31 at 18:45:40 (Rating 5, News)

What is worthy of respect and what isn't? I don't think there is a simple, objective answer to this question because what should be respected and what shouldn't depends very much on a person's individual preferences and values, but there are some things which are widely considered to demand respect.

So, does a country's national flag fall into this category?

This is the key question in a controversial issue we recently encountered here in New Zealand. An "art installation" in a Nelson art gallery (a city I am currently visiting) included a New Zealand flag lying on the floor with an invitation to step on it, presumably as a sign of disrespect to show opposition to colonialism the flag represents.

So is this OK? You might be surprised to hear I think it is. I think everything should be open to examination and criticism, and that includes subjects being covered by art, where difficult questions are often explored.

But (you knew there would be a "but" didn't you?) I think this standard should be applied universally. When this subject first appeared in social media, I added a comment where I said I was going to create a artwork with a Maori sovereignty flag and an invitation to spit on it to show disrespect to the more negative elements in Maori culture.

Of course, many people found this highly offensive, but they were the same people who thought standing on the New Zealand flag was OK. This does not appear to demonstrate a lot of consistency in their opinions. Surely if disrespecting one flag is OK, as a form of political art or for any other reason, it must be OK for any other flag as well.

Some people might say that the New Zealand flag, which supposedly represents all the people in the country but is more associated with the modern society introduced by British settlers, is more problematic because it symbolises the repression of Maori culture, but I could make a good case to say the Maori sovereignty flag is a lot worse.

As far as I am aware (I could be wrong, so correct me if I am) Maori had no flags before colonisation, because Maori lived in the stone age and had no fabrics suitable for making flags. So their flag isn't authentic in any way. But that's a minor issue because that flag also represents division of Maori from the rest of the people of the country. And in addition, even if you ignore those two issues, Maori culture was pretty horrendous and that makes the flag horrendous by association.

Why do I say that? Well Maori culture, pre-colonialism, featured the following: a lot of warfare between tribes, cannibalism, slavery, infanticide, and environmental destruction. I agree that British culture at the same time was far from perfect, but it was orders of magnitude better than that. So it seems that spitting on the Maori flag is perfectly justified.

But will that ever happen? No, of course not, because if it did I can imagine the protests and accusations of racism. I should be fair at this point and say that there was some criticism of the current flag artwork, and a person visited regularly and placed the flag in a more suitable place, and it has now been removed.

Maybe a better and more interesting idea might have been to have a "colonial" New Zealand flag and a Maori sovereignty flag and some indication of the pros and cons of the two cultures they represent, and a suggestion of how to indicate support or contempt for the two. It would be interesting to see what sort of responses that might elicit, and it would give people with different perspectives a chance to participate.

Respect is earned, and I think in general Western culture deserves some because it has given us democracy, science, and equality. Maori culture on the other hand, has given us very little of any value. Find me a Maori flag and I will burn it. That's my artistic portrayal of my sincerely held belief. Are we all OK with that?

Comment 1 (8227) by Jim Cable on 2025-05-31 at 20:12:30:

A very good one, Owen. Yet another piece you have rationalised completely and impeccably.

Sadly, incredibly irrational and inflammatory comments were made by persons who might have been expected to have known better. Nelson's Maori Ward councillor, Kahu Paki Paki, who has past expressed high ideas about the concept of "mana", and how respect for it should always be shown, made some deplorable remarks in the Nelson Mail. He dismissed all complaints about and objections to the exhibit, claiming they were "misguided, misinformed and very ignorant". Of course he made no attempt to elaborate on, or qualify, his utterance. I'd bet that his stance would have been 180º diametric had the issue been about the Maori flag - especially the one of the Maori Battalion.

Paki Paki further compounded his fatuousness when responding to complaints that had been made by servicemen. He claimed "he could guarantee that no one signed up to sacrifice anything for a flag."

I think his would be categorised an "irrecoverable mindset."

Comment 2 (8228) by OJB on 2025-06-01 at 08:53:50:

Thanks for your positive comment and support. Yes, these commentators who say something is “ignorant” or “out of touch” or “racist” or (my favourite) “on the wrong side of history” without saying why they believe that are very tedious. Luckily, I don’t think most people take any notice of them, and why would they?

Comment 3 (8229) by EK on 2025-06-01 at 13:36:30:

My immediate thought after reading the first couple of paragraphs was social science influenced (no surprise here). Place the two flags side by side on the floor as an option to choose which one to walk on. Also to invite people to spit on, jump up and down on, or if desired to urinate on (discretely) – monitor this (but for legal reasons declare that on a warning sign) and treat the recording appropriately as a piece of art – and if so desired as a research record of public sentiment.

In your final para you seem to take up the idea of optional display. Both our ideas fall down, however, because they go against the artist’s distinct desire to make a personal and partisan statement, and therefore would undermine artistic freedom.

Comment 4 (8230) by Ralph on 2025-06-02 at 17:03:07:

It is extremely disquieting in these times that so many people who have worked tirelessly to help people in need of all ethnicities in this country that such a negative perception from one person should receive so much publicity. Surely as much publicity should be given to the multitude of people who contribute to the wellbeing of this country. Every New Zealander will be able to reflect on so many constructive, positive occasions over many years that has made New Zealand stand out on.

Comment 5 (8231) by OJB on 2025-06-02 at 21:05:56:

In reply to EK. Yes, as I said in my post, I believe the work was something that should be allowed as art. The validity or quality of this art is open to question, of course. My point was that no one would be likely to consider anything similar with the Maori sovereignty flag, and if they did, it is unlikely to escape attacks by pro-Maori activists.

Comment 6 (8232) by Ralph on 2025-06-02 at 21:12:39:

I didn't say in my previous comment: why not celebrate the great things about New Zealand which are symbolised by the flag. I mean things like the Homer Tunnel, Manapouri power plant, Rutherford's discovery of the structure of the atom, Ed Hillary reaching the top of Everest, etc. Why spend so much time whining and complaining?

Comment 7 (8233) by OJB on 2025-06-02 at 21:21:28:

In reply to Ralph. Yes, I have commented several times how many great things are ignored and negative things are emphasised. My favourite example is how Elon Musk's Starship project is rejected by many people because they think we should solve our planet's problems first. Of course, their favourite problem is usually climate change. But we can do more than one thing at a time, and arguably getting to Mars (as Musk wants to do) is more important anyway. At the very least, it is an inspirational achievement rather than just fixing a problem (whether you think climate change is real or not).

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