“King” Ioane's flag, 1869

Although the original flag of Easter Island was first flown in the 19th century, and is reported to have four black “Tangata manu” (Birdman) figures at each corner, but no illustration seems to exist. There was also a standard, “Te-reva”, displaying various Polynesian symbols and objects. In 1867 a French mariner, Jean-Onésime Dutrou-Bornier, settled on the island and married a woman who was the last heiress of the kings of Easter Island. Some of the islanders then recognised him as King Ioane I and he hoisted a flag, depicting the outline of a Manu Tara Bird (sooty tern), the source of the Bird Man Cult, on an orange field. He had asked France in vain to make Easter Island a Protectorate and he died in 1876. This flag has been reconstructed from a description and may not be accurate.