This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

Adnyamathanha (South Australia, Australia)

Last modified: 2016-02-27 by ian macdonald
Keywords: adnyamathanha |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors



[Adnyamathanha] image located by Zoltan Horvath, 8 December 2011


See also:


Description of the flag

Information about these people based on Wikipedia:
The Adnyamathanha are an Indigenous Australian people from the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. On the 30 March 2009, the Adnyamathanha people received a consent determination, in the Federal Court of Australia, for recognition of their Native Title rights over a very large area (around 41,000 square km) of land running East from the edge of Lake Torrens, through the Northern Flinders Ranges approaching the South Australian border with New South Wales.

The Adnyamathanha are made up of the Kuyani, Wailpi, Yadliaura, Pilatapa and Pangkala, which are the traditional groups of the Northern Flinders Ranges and (with the Kokatha) the areas around Lake Torrens. The name Adnyamathanha means "rock people" and is a term referring to the Lakes Culture societies living in that area. They share a common identity, which they get from their descendants, this common bond is their language and culture which is known as Yura Muda. The origins of the Adnyamathanha are told through creation stories, passed down from generation to generation.

This group has an own flag based on this article: http://www.transcontinental.com.au/news/local/news/general/aboriginal-group-fly-own-flag/2384528.aspx

Their flag is divided diagonally, upper left part is blue with white stars (15 stars formed a constellation.) Lower part is brown with a white sun symbol placed in lower fly of the flag.
Zoltan Horvath, 8 December 2011

The flag looks 1:2, which looks very long on a flag with a diagonally division. More details [were] found at Facebook (no longer available) in which it is clear that the division is not a straight line, but irregularly wavy.

The blue represents the Ngiiarri (sky), the Brown the Yarta (land). The stars are two separate constellations - the saucepan (Orion), representing Mirarrityi (Men’s Muda) and the 7 sisters (Pleiades) representing Artinyi (Women’s Muda). The sun design is "taken from a community symbol that appears on several painting sites in Adnyamathanha Yarta. This represents all Yura (Adnyamathanha people)".

The facebook photo caption says:
"This flag has been developed over many years, starting at Nepabunna School with the students there, then our Elder Gordon Coulthard adapted it and we have been using his flag at official functions for a while, but then the ATLA [Traditional Lands Association] Board endorsed this final flag. They felt it truly represents all Adnyamathanha people and culture. We were proud to fly the flag for the very first time at Nepabunna on the 26th of November 2011."
Jonathan Dixon, 8 December 2011

On February 15, 2013 a flag representing the Adnyamathanha people was raised at Wilpena Pound Report located in the Flinders Ranges South Australia (429 km north of Adelaide).
Darrell Neuman, 4 June 2013

The flag was first flown in November 2011.
Jonathan Dixon, 4 June 2013