looks like a Sun in the Middle
The most popular flag of Native Australians is black and red with a yellow sun, while the Native New Zealander flag is black and red with a crescent moon like shapes.
New Zealand Maori Flag
reflective of a dynamic
white moon in constant motion
reflective of a dynamic
white moon in constant motion
The Australian Aboriginal flag is static and masculine, centered like the constant Sun. While the New Zealand Maori flag is dynamic and feminine, off centered and like the ever changing moon.
The Marori and Aboriginals are peoples of the Southern Hemisphere that colonized these truly southern lands. Both peoples were forcibly adopted by the British Empire and were treated as disdainful second class citizens. It was not until after the Anglo-Saxon Cultural Revolution of the 1960s that Aussies and Kiwis made major changes in their attitudes towards their indigenious or rather 'first nation peoples.'
In the USA they call pre-European peoples Native Indian Americans, in Canada First Nation Peoples, in Australia Aboriginals, and finally in New Zealand Maori. It's sort of like the general definition of a Hurricane, Typhoon, and Cyclone. So what's the difference between these three types of storms? There are official differences but generally speaking they all mean the same thing.
These two flags represent the cosmic balance of the Sun and the Moon. And are posted here because tis' the season for 'Lunar Twilight.' During the day it is 2010, but at night is is 2009.
Why!? Well we are still in a transitional phase of the years. The current moon started it's brightening period (waxing) before the winter solstice and New Years Eve. Thus when you look up at the moon tonight or anytime before January 14, 2010, your looking at a moon that was created in 2009. Since the Moon is the 'ruler of night,' after the 2010 January Sun goes to bed, a 2009 Moon rules the sky! Thus the term Lunar Twilight.
Thus you still get a little more time to make amends and finish off promises of the heart you missed in 2009.
Lunar twilight lasts until the next moon. The first moon to be created in 2010 comes into existence on January 16, 2010!
But hold on to your garters, the East is still waiting until the next next moon to come into existence. AKA...Chinese New Years has yet to begin!!!
According the Chinese oriented Asians they year has not yet changed. It won't be next year, the year of the Tiger until Valentines Day February 14, 2010.
Until then, only then, Eastern and Western Cultures will both agree that the New Year has indeed started!
Tiger 2010!