The world’s oldest living culture finally has its flag on the emoji keyboard.

This news marks a win for Indigenous people all over, with a significant step towards greater Indigenous digital representation, First Nations-led illustration agency Solid Lines has pioneered the creation of the first Aboriginal flag emoji. This achievement comes after years of advocating for official Unicode recognition, which was unfortunately denied.

Leveraging Apple’s new AI Genmoji feature, Solid Lines has devised a simple prompt to generate the iconic flag emoji. Here’s how to get the #AboriginalFlagEmoji on your phone too!

1. Update your iPhone to IOS 18.2 and make sure Apple Intelligence & Siri is turned on in your settings.

2. Open your keyboard and select the Genmoji icon.

3. Add the prompt: “A wavy black and red rectangle with a medium sized yellow circle in the middle” OR “A black and red rectangle with a medium sized yellow circle in the middle.”

4. “Add” the Aboriginal Flag to your emoji keyboard. So you can access it easily from there!

This innovative approach allows the Indigenous community to bypass the limitations of traditional emoji approval processes and directly empower individuals to celebrate their heritage digitally! The Aboriginal flag, designed by Harold Thomas, symbolises the deep connection between Indigenous Australians and their land. Its representation in emoji form is a powerful tool for fostering cultural understanding and promoting Indigenous rights.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial to ensure that Indigenous voices and perspectives follow suit. And Solid Lines has demonstrated the power of digital creativity and community-led initiatives by taking matters into their own hands.

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