What traditional vessel is shown on Tokelau's flag?

A canoe is shown on Tokelau’s flag.

The design depicts a yellow Tokelauan canoe sailing toward the Southern Cross on a blue field. The canoe represents Tokelau’s journey toward finding the best form of governance for its people, while the Southern Cross serves as a navigational symbol for that journey.

Tokelau’s flag was approved by its General Fono, the territory’s parliament, in 2008 and received royal approval in 2009. It was presented to the Ulu-o-Tokelau on 7 September 2009, making it Tokelau’s first official flag. Before then, the flag of New Zealand served as Tokelau’s official flag.

The canoe is sometimes confused with a generic boat, raft or catamaran, but the official descriptions identify it specifically as a Tokelauan canoe. The flag also contains four white stars arranged as the Southern Cross. These are associated with Tokelau’s three main atolls—Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo—and Swains Island, which Tokelau claims but which is administered by the United States as part of American Samoa.