Susan Karike Huhume Papua New Guinea Flag Designer

Papua New Guinea flag was designed by Susan Karike Huhume

Susan Karike Huhume: The Schoolgirl Who Designed a Nation's Identity
The visionary behind the iconic red, black, and gold flag of Papua New Guinea was a 15-year-old schoolgirl, Susan Hareho Karike (later Susan Karike Huhume). In 1971, as Papua New Guinea was on the path to self-government and eventual independence, a nationwide competition was held to design a national flag.

Susan, a student at the Catholic Mission School on Yule Island in Central Province, submitted a design that would become a powerful symbol of the nation's identity and heritage. Her design was a modification of an initial proposal by an Australian artist, Hal Holman. Karike felt the original colours of blue, yellow, and green were not traditional enough and disliked the vertical stripes.

Inspired by the colours commonly used by her people in traditional ceremonies, Susan opted for a striking diagonal division of black and red. On the black lower triangle, she placed the five stars of the Southern Cross, a constellation prominent in the Southern Hemisphere skies and a guide for her people. On the red upper triangle, she depicted a golden Raggiana Bird of Paradise in flight, a unique and revered symbol of Papua New Guinea.

Her simple yet profound design, reportedly drawn on a page torn from her exercise book, resonated deeply. It was presented to the Select Committee on Constitutional Development on March 1, 1971, and formally adopted as the flag of Papua New Guinea on July 1, 1971. The flag was raised for the first time officially on Independence Day, September 16, 1975.

Susan Hareho Karike was born in Mei'i, Gulf District, sometime between 1955 and 1956. Despite her significant contribution to her nation's identity, Susan Karike Huhume reportedly received little formal recognition or financial support from the government during her lifetime and lived a modest life. She passed away on April 11, 2017, at the age of 61, following a stroke. Her passing brought renewed attention to her pivotal role in creating one of Papua New Guinea's most enduring national symbols. She was married to Nanny Huhume and they had four children and twelve grandchildren.

Summary of Susan Karike Huhume's Later Life and Legacy:

• Despite her significant contribution, Susan Karike Huhume reportedly received little formal recognition or financial support from the government during her lifetime.
• She lived a modest life.
• She passed away on April 11, 2017, at the age of 61, following a stroke.
• Her death brought renewed attention to her pivotal role in creating the national flag.
• She was married to Nanny Huhume and they had four children and twelve grandchildren.
• In a posthumous honour, a gallery in the redeveloped Papua New Guinea National Museum & Art Gallery was named the Susan Karike Gallery in 2017.
• Her legacy endures in the flag that represents Papua New Guinea globally.

Also read

• Papua New Guinea Provinces Overview

---