FOTJA REJT, FREE REEDEMIA – Today, a series of native Tarephian groups and several Native Tarephian politicians unveiled a proposal for a new national flag, in the style of the current flag but with additional recognition of indigenous populations as a founding group.
The current Freedemian flag has three stars and three background colors (red, blue, and yellow), representing the former Ingerish, Rivagien, and Castellanese colonies that joined together to form Free Reedemia upon independence. The proposed flag would add a fourth star and a green bar to represent the native Budrian populations that lived in what is now Freedemia before the arrival of colonists.
Freedemia’s current flag. 
The proposed Freedemian flag, with additional native recognition
“The current flag is historical revisionism that reinforces the idea that our country was only for the colonizers and that Budrians and other Native Tarephians, who had our land taken from us, don’t belong here”, Chen Shashaqi, leader of the Budrian Rights and Recognition Coalition, explained. “We are every bit as much a part of this union as the Ingerish, Castellanese, or Rivagiens. For centuries we have been silenced and assimilated. It’s time for equal recognition.”
The proposal has the support of native rights and recognition groups across the country, but little support outside of them. Many had mixed feelings. “I’m honestly not opposed to the fourth star, but the green bar is too much and just throws off the whole thing,” Margo Representative Aimon Allard commented.
Others, like Vandoveur Mayor Caroline Addison, took further issues with the design. “It’s a good start, but it still emphasizes the Ingerish above the other groups and puts native populations last yet again. Maybe if there were four even bars of each color and four stars? I’m not a design expert, just thinking about the implications. If we’re designing the flag from scratch, I don’t see why not rethink more of it.”
The proposal has unfortunately also drawn some less sympathetic opinions as well. The mayor of a Frankelyn suburb came under fire after posting a statement to social media stating that “[native groups]’ tears were delicious” and that “the conquered don’t get a say”. While not as extreme, others have made statements basically saying that the flag’s stars and stripes represent nation states, and thus the limitation to the three colonies was logical rather than a deliberate attempt to leave out certain populations.
It is unlikely that the proposed flag will gain enough support to ever be adopted, but it has already reignited conversations about Freedemia’s tendency to emphasize colonial history and achievements over indigenous ones. Many within the native Tarephian community hope that even if this exact flag doesn’t move forward, a similar concept may in coming years. In the meantime, the coalition of native groups is working to get the House of Referenda to put the flag change on next election’s federal ballot.
