f!
~ir·'<iTEE REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI(No:' 2 of 198&)

I assent,

AN Aal' TO MAKE ProVISION roR J~ KIRIBATI Nl.TION4L
FLAG OR OTHER FLJ',GS OR ENSIGNS, KIRIBI1.TI .
liATIONAL EMBLEM AND KIRIBATI NATIONAL ANTHEM
AND roR CONNEal'ED PURPOSES

Conunenoement:-. 1989

MADE by the Maneaba ni Maungatabu and assented to by theBeretitenti.
PARI' I - PRELIMINARY

Short title

1.

This Act may be cited as the National Identity ActInterpretation

2.

In this Act unless the oontext otherwise requires _19~.

"National Flag" means the flag referred to in section 3 of this Aot;
"National :Emblem" means the emblem referred to in section 8 of thisAct.

Piilll' II - NATIONAL FLAG

3.

Kiribati NationalFlag

The flag desoribed in Sohedule 1 to this Aot, being the flag a
reproduotion of which is set out in Schedule iA to this Aot is hereby.
declared to be the National Flag of Kiribati.
.

Other flags andRules as to useof National
Flag, eto

4(1)The Beretitenti, acting in aocordanoe with the advioe of theCabinet may (a)by order appoint such other flag or ensign of Kiribati
as he thinks fit;(b)subjeot to seotion 7 of this Act make rules relating
to the flying or use of the Na.tional Fla.g or a. flag
appointed under this seotion.

- -_ ..•._- _.- _..

.

-2lra'~rsand Rules
ing toflS€s to be laid
before Maneaba
ni Maungatabu

5.
An appointment or rules made under aect1on4oftq1s Aot
shaJ.l be laid before the ManeabaniMaungatabu witlliIfforty-eight
hours of the day on which the next meeting of the Maneaba. commenoes
and shall oome into force on publioation unless the Maneaba byresolution amends it or rejeots it as the case may be.

Official use ofNational flag

6.
The National Flag or a flS€ appointed under seotion 4 of thisAot may be flown or used for all official purposes of the Governmentand on all oooasions on which, and for all purposes for which" it isoust omary to fly or use a national flag or a flag appointed underseotion 4 of this Aot. •.

Restriction on
use of National .
Flag

7(1) A person who, without the written consent of the Beretitenti
aoting in accordanoe with the advice of the Cabinet, flies or uses _(a)the National Flag or a flag or ensign appointed underseotion 4 of this Act; or(b)a replica or representation or a stylised version of any
flag,for any commeroial purpose and whether with or without defacement
commits an offence and shall... be .liableupon.. conviction ·t o·· · a ··· finenot
eXceeding $200 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months
or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(2)

A consent under subsection (1) of this seotion shall relate
only to use for a purpose specified in the consent and may
be subjoot to conditions.

(3)

An application for consent under subsection (1) of this section
shall be made in writing to the Secretary to the Cabinet.

(4)

A consent shall not be granted under subsection (1) of thissection -(5)(a)

unless the Beretitenti, acting in accordence with theadvice of the Cabinet, is satisfied that the proposed use
will not demean the National Flag or a flS€ appointed
under section 4 of this Act;(b)in any case where the Beretitenti, acting in accordancewith the advice of the Cabinet, has directed that consent
for a. particular use should not be granted.

A person who without lawful excuse, defaces or destroys (a)the National Flat!;or(b)a flat! or ensign appointed under section 4,commits an offence and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine notexceeding $200 or to imprisonmm t for a term not exceeding 6 months
or to both such fine and imprisonment.

-3P1\.RI' II I - NATIONAL . EMBLEld
Kiribati
National emblem

8.
The emblem described in Schedule 2 to this Act being the emblem
a reproduction .of which is set out in Schedule 2A to this Act ishereby declared to be the National IDnblem of .Kiriba.ti.

Rules as to useof National
emblemThe Beretitenti, a.cting ina.~cerdancew1ththeadvice of theCabinet, may make rulesrela.tingtothe1lSe.or . th~ ' Na.tional Enblem
or a. replica or representation or stylised version 'of sUch Enblem forspecial uses.
.

Rules relating
to National
emblem to ·belaid before theManeaba ni. ''.ungat1? bu

10.
Rules made under section 9 of this Act shall be laid before theManeaba ni Maungatabu within forty eight hours of the d~ en which thenext meeting .of the llaneaba cormnences and shall come into force on .
publicatien unless ' the 1mneaba by reselutien amends it or rejects it
as the case ma.y be •Proper use .of
National IDnblem

11(1) A person who, not being authorised by the Beretitcinti, 'acting inaccordance with the advice of the Cabinet or otherwise by law, directly
or indirectly -9.

(a)prints or publishes, or causes to be printed or published;or(b)sends or delivers to or serves on, or caUses to be sent
or delivered to or served on, any person,any written or printed matter in or on which there appears theNational Enblem, or any token or symbol so nearly resembling theNational Emblem as to be capable of being readily mistaken for it,in such a manner or in such circumstances as to be likely to leadother persons to bolieve that he is so a.uthorised, commits an offence
and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $200 or
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both such fineand imprisonment.
(2) A person who, not being authorised by the Beretitenti actingin accordanoe with the advice of the Cabinet or otherwise by law,directly or indirectly uses the National Enblem, or any token orsymbol so nearly resembling the National llhblem as to be capable ofbeing readily mistaken for it, in connection with any business, trade,calling or profession in such a manner or in such circumstances as tobe likely t o lead other persons to believe that he is so authorised,oommits an offence and shall be liable upon conviction to a. fine notexceeding $200 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months
or to both such fine and imprisonment.

I(3) Prosecutions for offences under Parts .I I and III of this Act
shall not be instituted except by or with the consent of theAttorney General.

•(-~ribatiNationalnthem-4PART IV - NATIONAL ANTHEM
12( 1)
The anthem entitled "Teirake Kaini. Kiribati" is hereby declared
to be the National Anthem of Kiribati(2)

The words and the music ofthe' N~iIorui.1Anthem are as set out
in Schedule 3 to this Act.

Use of theat i onal Anthem

13.
The National Anthem may be sung or used on all occasions onwhich, and for all purposes for which, it is customary to sing or use
the National Anthem.

-ules as tose of NationalAnthem

14.
Without prejudice to section 13 of this Act the Beretitenti,
acting in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet, may make tules
relating to the singing or use of the National Anthem.
PART V - MISCELLANEOUS

egulations

15.
The BeretHenti , acting in accordance with the advice of theCabinet, m~ make r egulations not inconsistent with this Act,prescribing all matters that by this Act are required or permitted
to be prescribed, or that are necessary or convenient to be prescribedfor carrying ou.t ()r giving bettereffeottothis Act.

SCHEDULESSCHEDULE 1(Section 3)
The Kiriba ti National Flag is a rectangular flag, proportions two toone, divided horizontally by a wavy line; the upp~r segment is red(BSI 381C No 539) representing the sky and is charged with a gold
(BSI 381C No 355) representation of a frigate bird and the rising
sun and the l ower segment is plain white (Admiralty T 85143) and ischarged with three' blue (BSI 381C No 110) wavy bands representing
the waves of the Pacific Ocean.
'The description and positions of the frigate bird, the rising sun
and the waves are as f o llows:Table 1 - FRIGATE BIRD
The bird is viewed from the side, with wings elevated and face
towards the ho ist; the eye and wing feathers are depicted.
The Frigate Bird shall be positioned in the upper centre of theupper segment , so t hat the parts of the body described in the table
are in the following positions:-.'-5Part of bird

Position measUred from upper hoist . corner,
distances .bemg · fractions of the length oftheflag . \( ;Extremity of beak40/100 aionl£<th~ .hYand 1/100 down thehoist.

JilJetremity of rightwing of bird

36/100 along .the fly and 3/100 down the hoist

JilJetremity of left
wing of bird

64/100 along the fly and 1/1'00 down the hoist

Extremity of righttail feather of bird

60/100 along the fly and 8/100 down the hoist

JilJetremity of left
tail f eather of bird

61/100 along the fly and 6/100 down the hoist

Table 2 - THE RrSING SUN
The...sun .is.)3e.en .. a/? .rislng above the central trough .i n the. ·w aves.
Around the visible ~ircUnference· ()1'.~lie··Siiiiare-·PO·iinr6neanitfe ··plane triangles, whioh are contiguous'~ . The first and ninth
triangles 'are partially obscured by the crests of the waves.
Between and behind the plane triangles.are eight sphericaltriangles.
The Rising Sun shall. be positioned so . that the centre of the sun
is 50/100 of the length of the flag measured along the fly and26/100 of the length of the flag measured down the hoist and its
diameter is 11/100 of the lengthof the flag. The positions of the outer points of the plane andspherical trianbles lie on imaginary circles, whose centres are
the same as the sun and whose diameters are 31/100 and 30/100of the length of the flag respectively.
Table 3 - THE SEA
The sea is depicted as a series of horizontal white and blue
wavy' bands, the lowest blue band meeting the lower edge of theflag.
The wavy line dividing the upper and lower segments of the flag
shall be positioned so that the parts of the wavy line de~cribedin the table are in the following positions : -________"""·-tr...·,··.....

......"""-..:.:.............'...'..' "".............,-"."..
" ........

•-~---------,.,----6Part of wa.vy line

Position measured from upper hoist co=er,
distances being fra.ctions of the lengthof theflB8 'Central trough50/100 along the fly and 27/100 down
the hoist

Adjacement crest to left

39/100 along the fly and 25/100 down
the hoist

Adjacement crest to :ri~t

61/100 along the fly and 25/100 down
the hoist

Wavelengths of a.djacentcrests end troughs

20/100~~~rizontal direction

The three white and two blue we,vy bands are arranged symmetricallybelow the dividing line described above with widths of 4/100 of thelength of the flag; the lower edge of' the third blua wavy band is thestreight line of t he bottom edge of the flag.

- 7-3Cr.::WUL': 111(Sec tion 3)

THE NATIONAL FLAG OF KIRIBATI\

~8-SCHEDULESCHEDULE 2(Secticn 8 )Officie1 description
The bird is a frigate bird which represents power, freedom
and Kiribati cultural dance patterns.
The rising sun is the tropice1 sun as Kiribati lies astride theEquator.
The sea is the Pacific Ocean which surrounds Kiribati.
The MOtto means Health, Peace and Prosperity.

/.- 9S('Jl8DULEscu;mULE 2A(Sec tion 8)

TIlE NATIONAL

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This printed :mnpression has been ca.refullY ,~examinedbym'
the :Bill which passed the Ma.neaba niMaimge.t;!l.bu on 16th May, .1·989
and is found by me to be c true ?.nd correctly · printed copy of thesaid Bill.

it • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •be. ni Maungatabu
Published Qy exhibition -(a)at the Public Of?1~ ,Of .the Beretitenti tMs(.,.{- day of ;;r~ 1989.

(b)at the Maneaba ni Maungatabu this~''''''''' 1989.

day of........•................. •....•...•..
~

1 Clerk to the Maneaba ni Maurigatabu

, ;

-12-

NATIONAL IDENTITY ACT 1989

EXPLANATOR'l MEWRANDUM
The principal object of this Act ' is to giV~ -~';l~iisl~tive 'base or backing to the Kiribati National Flag. "the Kiribati
National Emblem and the Kiribati National Anthem. Italso
seeks to empower the 1Jeretitenti, acting inil.ccordance withthe advice of the Cabinet, to appoint such other flag or ensign
to be flown or used for official purposes.
Section 3 of the Act fonnally declares the existing National
Flag and National IDnblem (which are describeo.!!.ndreproducedin the Schedules to the Act) as the National' Flag and National
Emblem respectively of Uribe.t!.
"Section 4 and 5 of the Act enjoins that any other flag orensign (apart from the National Flag) appointed by theBeretitenti and any rules made by the Beretitenti relating,to the use of the National Flag and/or any other flag or ensign,
shall-, be laid -before the J,!aneaba_,ni_ Ma.)lI).gat.a'P1l ,~d shall comeinto force on publication only if the Maneaba ni MaungatabU 'do'e s
not reject or amend same.
Section 7 of the Act restricts the use of the National Flag.or any other flag or ensign appointed by the Beretitenti
under the Act for commercial purposes.
Section 8, 9 and 10 fonnaHy declare the existing National
Emblem as the National Emblem of Kiribati and empowers the Beretitenti
to make rules relating t o the use of the National Emblem. Suchrules are required to be laid before theJ4aneaba ni Maungatabu andshall come into force on publication only if the Maneaba ni
Maungatabu does not amend or reject them.
Section 11 provides' for improper use of the National Emblem
and prescribes penalties for such improper usa.
Section 12 formally decla res the existing National Anthem
entitled "Teirake !{aini Uri bati" to be the National
Anthem of Kiribati and sets out the words and music of
the Anthem in Schedule 3 to the Act.,)
IMchael N. Takabwebwe
Attorney General
11 Octo ber 1988.