A Salute to Flags

Flags are a ready reminder that the world is divided into countries. In front of teams marching during the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympics, athletes are honored by being chosen to carry the flags of their countries.

     Just as families often keep track of the state license plates they see, flag authority William G. Crampton suggests noting the date they see various country flags in person or on TV at school, post offices, hotels, parades, and sporting events. In Usborne's spotter guide to Flags of the World, Crampton includes an alphabetical list of 201 flags. Like a field guide to birds and wild flowers, this pocket-sized book helps spotters by illustrating flags in full color and by providing short descriptions of what colors and flag emblems represent. Another good source of the world's flags in full color is the website, printableworldflags.com.

    Vexillology is the study of the symbolism, history, and usage of flags. Countries assign meanings to the colors on their flags. Surrounded as they are by water, islands often choose blue. White is used to symbolize Buddhism and peace. Haiti and some African countries include black to represent their citizens. Yellow can mean mineral wealth, a royal color, or the sun. Green, the color of Mohammed, also has been used to represent jungle vegetation. Red may stand for bravery, courage, or a bloody struggle for independence.

     The three-colored flags, known as tricolors, that represent independence throughout the world have their origin in the 16th century orange, white, and blue Dutch flag that is considered the first republican tricolor. In turn, the Dutch flag inspired the blue, white, and red tricolor associated with France's 1789 revolution and, ultimately, flags flown throughout the world from Armenia to Yemen. When mass production began in the 18th century, flag manufacturers welcomed this type of         three-color design simplification.

     Just as many flags are associated with the struggle for independence, others express dedication to a religion the way Christian crosses do on the flags of Greece, Malta, Switzerland, and Tonga. Throughout the Muslim world, the crescent and star symbols of Islam and/or the green color of the Prophet Mohammed appear on numerous flags in the Middle East and Africa. South Korea and Mongolia fly flags with the yin and yang symbols of opposites associated with Buddhism, while symbols of the Jewish faith, the prayer shawl and Star of David, appear on Israel's flag. Of special interest are flags of countries that recognize that their citizens practice more than one religion. The white stripe on Pakistan's flag represents Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and other religious minorities in this mostly Muslim country, while Sri Lanka's flag includes an orange stripe for Hindus and a green one for Muslims.

     Stars representing mankind's heavenly goal have been a popular flag motif for centuries. In fact, stars also communicate a number of modern day messages. As in the case of flags representing the U.S. and Brazil, stars denote the states in each country. The Philippines, the Comoros, Cape Verde, and Tuvalu use stars to number their principal islands. Malaysia's flag, on the other hand, represents its 13 member states and its capital's territory with 14 points on one star.

     Countries also use their flags to recognize features that make them unique. Cambodia's flag pictures its famed 12th century temple, Ankor Wat. The coat of arms on Slovenia's flag includes the country's Triglav Mountain, and Lebanon places a cedar tree that grows in its mountains in the center of its flag. Granada touts its nutmeg production and Belize its lumber industry; while Kenya, Lesotho, and Swaziland display traditional tribal war shields and spears on their flags. Iran's flag repeats the inscription, "God is Great," 22 times to mark the date of its victorious 1979 revolution. Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa note their position in the Southern Hemisphere by including the Southern Cross constellation on their flags. To symbolize the Equator, Nauru draws a yellow stripe on its flag and then uses a star to indicate its position south of the Equator.

     Various activities can involve children with flags. At the pbskids.org website, they can play a "Bingo" game with countries and flags by going to the Arthur icon, then clicking on the picture of the bunny, Buster, and "Connect the World." Staging a parade of nations is a fun party or rainy day activity, especially when children wear hats or other pieces of clothing from foreign lands. United Nations Day on October 24 is a great time to organize such a parade. In addition to marching behind the Stars and Stripes, children can use construction paper to make less complicated parade flags for: Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Indonesia, Japan, Chad, Gabon, or Mali. Tape these flags to straws, play a John Philip Sousa march, and a parade begins.

Flags change

Like children, flags change. From 10,000 public suggestions for a new flag, New Zealand has selected 40 designs that will be reduced to four for a public vote later in 2015. In 2016, there will be a referendum to decide between the current flag and the new design.

    After Columbus's voyages, Spain changed the motto on its flag from "There is nothing more beyond (Gibraltar)" to "There is more beyond." Once the U.S.S.R., Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia broke apart, their flags disappeared and countries that were part of these nations, such as Azerbaijan, Slovakia, and Croatia, created new flags. Likewise, when countries become independent from former colonizers, they create new flags. South Africa no longer flies the orange, white, and blue tricolor based on the Dutch flag that was raised when colonists arrived in 1652.

     When other countries achieved independence, they, like Kenya, Mozambique, and East Timor, often adopted flags similar, if not identical, to those of the nationalist groups that led the struggle for sovereignty. Antigua and Barbuda, although they elected to remain in the British Commonwealth after achieving independence, use their flag to proudly announce victory over colonialism by showing the sun of a new era rising out of a "V."

     At the beginning of the American Revolution, George Washington's troops fought under what is known as the Grand Union flag which displayed England's St. George and Scotland's St. Andrew crosses in the upper left hand corner where the stars are today. On June 14, 1777, however, to represent the original states, a circle of 13 stars, suggesting a new constellation, joined the 13 alternating red and white stripes already on the Grand Union flag. As new states joined the Union, both stars and stripes were added to the U.S. flag until 1818, when Congress decided too many stripes would make the flag's design unwieldy. Since then, stars have represented the current number of states and stripes represent the original thirteen. Between 1776 and 1801, England's flag changed as well. Today the flag of the United Kingdom combines the 13th century red cross of St. George, patron saint of England, with the Scottish cross of patron, St. Andrew, which was added in 1606 and the modified Irish cross of St. Patrick added in 1801.

     One way to demonstrate the notion that a flag represents a country's changing history is to create new flags for children as they get older. At first, a little white bunny might be pasted on light blue or pink felt that is looped over a dowel and hung on a string. By helping children design their own flags as their personalities develop, they will get a feel for the decisions a country made when creating its flag. What colors will they choose and why? Will they use a symbol to represent their favorite subject, hobby, or pet? Finally, they might include a motivational saying or slogan, such as "Throw strikes" for a baseball player or "Break a leg" for a budding actor.