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Current Issue of Crux Australis: Issue No. 141
The most recent issue of Crux Australis is No. 141 [Volume 35/1] issued for the period January - March 2022.
The contents are:
| Vexillogistics (editorial) | Tony Burton | page 3 |
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| The importance of national symbols to national identity | Jonathan Edwards, edwardscbhs.webs.com |
pages 4 - 10 | |
| Macy Gray met with criticism, applause after suggesting a redesign of the American flag | Marty Rosenblaum, Audacy |
page 11 |
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| A republic is born | Guy Faulconbridge and Brian Ellsworth, SMH | pages 12 - 16 |
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| Republics and monarchies in the Caribbean | Quiz | page 17 | |
| Symbols of the Sikhs | Tony Burton | pages 18 - 23 | |
| Review: Symbols of Australia - imagining a nation | Tony Burton | pages 23 - 25 | |
| We choose our history to suit who we are, but "the great Australian" silence is slowly being broken | Stan Grant, ABC News | pages 26 - 29 | |
| The Aboriginal flag - an appraisal | Tony Burton |
pages 30- 31 | |
| Changing the flag | SMH letters | pages 32 - 33 | |
| Of golden soil and jewel sea: a flag | Tony Burton | pages 34 - 45 | |
| Macron does nuance | media and French Vexillology Society | pages 46 - 49 | |
| Eureka flag use at violent demonstrations condemned by rebel's descendant, Ballarat MP | Christopher Testa, ABC Ballarat |
pages 50 - 51 | |
| Public buildings told to fly the British flag to symbolize our independence! | "National Patriot" change.org | page 52 |
SUMMARY
While a coat of arms or solid emblem is the formal device of sovereign states, at the popular level no other symbol represents national identity with quite the flexibility of the national flag, a theme explored in two essays and a review of the second decennial edition of Symbols of Australia: Imagining a Nation.
Gateway to the year, January invites reflection on Australia's foundation as a nation on a European model, but also its disruption of a much older social structure, the context for an appraisal of the relatively recent Aboriginal flag.
Identity is not confined to the secular: the edition also considers the symbols of Sikhism, the fifth largest faith community in the world. However, on the secular side, national identity finds expression today largely in republics, Barbados the latest former colony to make this transition since independence in 1966, a course that some suggest Australia emulate, and exciting a refrain that constitutional change inevitably entails change of flag. Few proposals show real grasp of good design. One encouraging possibility already out there portrays Australia in itself, unsullied and transcending such factional allegiances exemplified by those hijacking historical flags from their original context, and weirdly dishonouring these upside down. Canadians in contrast are not confused as to their flag, and when it comes to colour nuance, alors, just ask the French.
Commentary by Tony Burton
| For previous issues see: | Crux Index vol 31 - current |
| Crux Index vol 26 - 30 | |
| Crux Index vol 21-25 | |
| Crux Index vol 16-20 | |
| Crux Index vol 11-15 | |
| Crux Index vol 6-10 | |
| Crux Index vol 1-5 | |
ICV13 Report |
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