DECEMBER 6, 2025 — Whalsay resident Magnus Hutchison has proposed a redesign of the Shetland flag, arguing that the archipelago’s symbol should more accurately reflect its historical roots, says the Shetland News.
His suggested design, which he calls the Hjaltlandsmerki, Old Norse for “Hjaltland’s banner”, modifies the current flag by emboldening the Nordic cross and adding white lines, essentially creating a blue variation of the Norwegian flag.
According to Hutchison, a recent poll on a local Facebook group indicated that over 90 per cent of respondents preferred his concept over the existing design, which was officially recognized in 2005.
The current flag, designed in 1969 by Roy Grønneberg and Bill Adams, utilizes the blue and white colours of the Scottish Saltire to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the islands’ transfer from Norway to Scotland.
Hutchison challenges this symbolism, claiming that commemorating the 1469 pawning of the islands honours a “breach of Norway’s constitutional law – the act that severed us from our own country and opened the door to centuries of oppression and cultural loss.”
He further argues that the current design “fails at its most basic job” because it can be mistaken for the Scottish Saltire when hanging limp.
While Hutchison’s proposal retains the familiar colours to respect local attachment, the design features a “deeper Norwegian blue” to represent “our original nation and the roots of our cultural heritage,” alongside a familiar lighter blue for the sea and white representing purity and protection, inspired by the god Heimdall.
He explained that the goal is to honour “that our origins are Norse and putting that truth at the core,” rather than giving equal weight to Scotland and Norway as the current flag does.
Hutchison emphasized that his motivation is historical honesty rather than anti-Scottish sentiment, stating, “this is simply about being honest about our own story. Standing up for our identity isn’t hateful.”
“I think it would be amazing for ours to say clearly and proudly: this is Hjaltland.”
Image: Shetland News
