National colours of New Zealand National colours of New Zealand National colours of New Zealand orders include black, white or silver, and red ochre. The national flag of New Zealand is predominantly dark blue and represents the sea and sky. In the top left corner is the union flag with the colours red and white. The Union flag represents the settlement of New Zealand by mainly British people after New Zealand became a British colony in 1840. The four stars on the flag are red with white outlines. The flag is flown from government buildings and schools and on days of national importance such as
National colours of New Zealand ANZAC day. The national colours of the Māori, an indigenous people of Polynesian origin in New Zealand, are black, white and red. On 13 March 1975, the Queen's Service Order was created by royal warrant. With the institution of the Queen's Service Order, red ochre was "given official sanction as a national orders colour". This colour has spiritual importance to the Māori by whom it is known as "kōkōwai". In 1989, a competition was run by a group named Te Kawariki to design a national Māori flag. The chosen flag became associated with the tino rangatiratanga or Māori sovereignty movement.