Toa Samoa supporters in Auckland Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
A tutor in Samoan indigenous studies says most Samoan people are not fully aware of the history behind their nation's flag, a flag that's become synonymous with the Toa Samoa rugby league parades.
But did you know that Samoa's current flag is its sixth.
Samoan language expert, tutor, and Master in Indigenous Studies, Musuiaiga Neil Sitagata-Tapu, says Samoans, like Maori, find unity and identity in their flags, which have been influenced by the colonial era.
Samoa's first flag was adopted in 1873 - a red background with a white cross and a white star.
Later, under German rule, their colours were used; then a new flag was adopted in 1948 with red, white and blue colours, and a fifth star was added a year later.
No changes were made to the flag upon independence in 1962.
Musuiaiga says the flags are a testament to the brutal search for Samoa's independence.
He says people need to remember that, although the flag encourages unity, people are actually uniting under what colonisers brought
He spoke with RNZ Pacific's Grace Fiavaai.
