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Home » Themes » People » Indigenous
Bernard Namok SeniorPrint Page 
The monument erected over the gravesite commemorates Bernard Namok Senior who designed the Torres Strait Island Flag. The monument was unveiled on the flag's 22nd anniversary.
To honour the contribution Bernard Namok Snr, creator of the Torres Strait flag, did for his people, a memorial was unveiled at Thursday Island Cemetery and a plaque at Front Beach, May 29th, 2014, 22 years after it was recognised by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in June 1992. Tragically Bernard Namok Snr. passed away a year later.
It was not until July 14, 1995, that the Australian Government granted it ‘Flag of Australia’ status, under the Flags Act 1953.
Location
| Address: | Aplin Road, Thursday Island Cemetery, Thursday Island, 4875 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -10.576448 Long: 142.217216 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Indigenous |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Thursday 29th May, 2014 |
|---|
With Respect We Remember
BERNARD NAMOK
Designer of the Torres Strait Flag
What The Design Stands For.
1. The two Green lines represent the mainlands of
Australia and Papua New Guinea;
2. The Blue between these two continents is the blue of
the Torres Strait waters;
3. The Black lines represent the people of the Torres Strait;
4. The one symbol I feel can identify
any islander anywhere is the Dhari (headdress);
5. The five points of the Star are our Island groups:
the Western, Eastern, Central, Port Kennedy and (N.P.A.)
Mainland.
The star is also used in the navigation and important
for the seafaring people of the Torres Strait.
6. White represents peace.
"Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls, on behalf of myself and my family, I would like to thank all the people responsible for accepting my flag design as the flag that will identify Torres Strait Islanders anwhere and everywhere.
"These people who in time will accept the flag, I also wander esso you pla. In conclusion another big thank you goes to Mr Ettie Pau, the inspiration behind me in designing the flag and entering the competition. He has shared many times with me the importance of the past and what we the Torres Strait Islanders really need in the future. One of which I know he must be very proud to be able to witness today and also be part of this historic event in the launching of our very own identity.
Speech Given By: Late Mr Bernard Namok Snr. Raising Of The Flag : Late Mr. Ettie Pau (O.A.M.)
Event : 1992 Torres Strait Cultural Festival
* Born and raised
on Thursday Island
* Attended Thursday
Island High School
1974 - 1976
* Gained Certificate
of Commercial &
Fundamentals
Torres Strait TAFE 1992
* Islanders Board
of Industries 1984 - 1992
* Torres Strait
Co-operative Society
Board of Directors 1992
* Torres Strait
Corporation of
Arts & Literature
Production
Committee Member
1992
* Delegate Torres
Eels / Suburbs Rats
1992
* Won competition
for Design of the
Torres Strait Flag
1992
* The Torres Strait
Islander Flag was
created as a symbol
for unity and identity
for Torres Strait
Islander people
* It was the winning
entry from a design
competition held as
part of a Cultural
Revival Workshop,
organised by The
Islands Co-ordinating
Council in January
1992
* The flag was adopted
in May 1992 and first
flown during the Torres
Strait Cultural Festival
Thursday Island
* In June 1992 it was
recognised by the
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
Commission (ATSIC)
and given equal
prominence with the
Aboriginal flag
* In July 1995, it was
recognised by the
Australian Government
as an official Flag of
Australia under the
Flags Act 1953
