Memorial Day 2010

US FLAG at Beginning of Civil War
At FT SUMTER 1861

Memorial Day was a holiday born in the tragic wake of the US Civil War. The flag you see to the right is the Fort Sumter flag that had a very interesting and distinguished look.

During this war the North would fly three official versions with a different number of stars. The US flag was christened with 34 stars with Kansas, 35 with West Virgina, and 36 with Nevada. All three states were divided geographically by the Mason Dixon Line.

An interesting event that takes place ever Memorial Day is the Indy 500 in Indianapolis, Indiana. This greatest race in motor sports was dedicated to the Civil War. Coincidentally the modern beltway around Indianapolis straddles the Mason-Dixon line, I-465, the traditional cultural divide between the North and South.

There is an ongoing debate on what to call this war. Some historians refer to it as the War Between the States, which was literally true for the Northern States at 100% equal latitude with Europe and Southern States at 100% equal latitude with Africa. However of states that were eye to eye with both Europe and Africa (by latitude) it can be called the War Between the Counties.

Coincidentally the presidents who led their respective nations in war both came from Kentucky. Lincoln was born in a county at a purely European latitude, Hardin County on the boarder of Indiana. While Jefferson Davis was born in a county that shares a latitude with Africa, Christian County on the border of Tennessee. Thus from Lincoln and Davis' points of view it literally was, a War Between the Counties as it was for many families who lived in boarder states along the 38th parallel. Although Kentucky is completely below the Mason-Dixon line she is cut by the 38th parallel.

Nearly 101 years later another civil war would bring our civilization to the brink of Nuclear War, the Korean Civil War. It was the last major Earth War before the advent of the space age in 1957. The common element between this US Civil War of 1861 and Korean Civil War of 1951 was the 38th parallel north. After Japan was defeated in WWII, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel north.

Generally in American memory the mention of the Korean War almost instantly causes most people over the age of 35 to recall the TV series M*A*S*H, and a footnote that the series ironically lasted longer than the Korean War.

Flag of North Korea
The Korean War was a proverbial conflict of the North versus the South or brother versus brother. However in one perspective it was also a War Between the Nations or rather a Global Civil War. The wounds of this conflict still linger. Last year I was fortunate enough to visit the DMZ and sensed a deep sadness, that is buried deep in Korean Consciousness. Koreans have a tendency to hide their emotions and often have difficulty expressing hard emotions. Even though things were warming up between the North and South, there was an untapped sadness in the air that seemed to lurk in the background and melted my heart in a still yet understood necessary melancholy. I suppose only patience, love, and gratitude may undo the emotional knots that have festered for so long in the dark.

As for my flag symmetry idea I have bonded North Korea with the capital Flag of Malaysia. Their parallel colours are red, white, and blue in horizontal patterns. A national flag bonding with a sub-national flag kinda' breaks the rules. This does not happen often, but weren't rules were meant to be broken? Especially when its time has come.

Flag of Malaysia's Capital District

Korean people like Malaysian people have been divided by greater powers that be. The Malay people were divided by Europe in the colonial age. The Northern Malays became Malaysians were colonized by the British, while the Southern Malay's were adopted by the Dutch became Indonesians. Indonesians and Malays are of the same ethnic family, speak the same language, and are mostly Sunni Muslims. But since the Malay people were divided before an awareness of Malay Nationalism, there was no need to unite into a super ethnic Malay State.

Indonesia has many other nationalities but the majority core power ethnic belongs to the Malay-Indonesians, likewise Malaysia is also a diverse nation with strong presence of non-Malay Malaysians, mostly from China and India. Malaysia and North Korea are at the north and south ends of East Asia, nominally they are people who fit the Mongol-Chinese phenotype yet their faiths or rather philosophy to life goes against the dominant grain of American thinking: Marxism and Islam.

Korean Nationalism had already formed when powers that be divided the peninsula. Unfortunately Korean opinion in the matter, was hardly consulted. It was fated that the North was to be allied with the USSR while the South was to be allied with the USA. Koreans were destined to bear the brunt of Cold War political tensions. The hatred of the left and right wings of the Western World were shoved down the throat Korea and would continual seethe unto this day.

Like the border states of the US Civil War that crossed the 38th parallel, Korea was destined to fall under the dreadful curse and paradoxically hopeful blessing of civil war. Just as the US border states along the 38th carried the heaviest emotional scar of Civil War for a Nation, Korea too would carry the most burdensome bounty of the Cold War for our World.

Confederate Flag at Surrender
1865

The North Korean flag like the Confederate flag are important and fundamental echos of our collective past and present, of a tragic past that should not be feared nor forgotten. Of the present they offer insight of the tragic yet hopeful drama of our people. These flags should be properly respected given their just duties.

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part X

Alain Raullet is a veteran vexillologist and founder of the Brittany Flag Association. Raullet gave a colourful presentation about his activities to promote and expand vexillology with the public. It was entitled Voices of Vexillology.

Currently Raullet is the most broadcasted vexillologist in the world. Raullet has a set radio program in French, on a Christian radio station. Another activity for Vexillologists, Raullet explained, is to have community flag displays and promote children's design flag contests.

Alain also spiced up his presentation with humour via random slides of Mr. Bean, yawing people, women in sexy tights, and a ski jumping sumo wrestler. Raullet closed his presentation with an audio recording of his vexillology broadcast on French radio.

Painting By Leonardo da Vinci
Lady with Ermine 1490ish

The current popular flag of Brittany is similar to the design of the United States, but instead of stars it has stylized ermine fur skins. The ermine is a type of miniature weasel. The US/Greek design was made by Morvan Marchel in 1923. There is an earlier Breton flag called the Kroaz-Du, which is a black cross on a field of white.

If they ever make a film about Brittany in medieval times fighting for freedom, they can not use the Marchel Flag. The men and women who fought and died for Brittany used a version that more closely resembled the Kroaz-Du, the true blood stained flag of historic Brittany.

As for my flag symmetry idea I have partnered it up with the flag of Cornwall, which is a white cross on a background of black. These two flags exhibit 'Gamma Flag Symmetry' which is an inverse of colours with matching designs. Furthermore both Brittany and Cornwall are the outer members of the Celtic family of nations. Probably the most popular purveyor of things Celtic are the Irish, followed by the Scottish. The Welsh are in the middle, followed by the Cornish and Bretons.

Flag of Cornwall in UK

Flag of Brittany in France

Cornwall was its own Celtic Kingdom during the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom period in Britain. But the Cornish were overtaken by the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex before Norman Conquest. Yet the Cornish were able to hold on to their language, today it is an endangered language. Brittany was a Celtic Duchy that resisted complete political domination by the French until the 1500s. A Duchy is one level below Kingdom.

Brittany and Cornwall are semi-official Celtic nations, long hidden in the background of England and France. Fate has shuffled them to peninsulas on the west ends of the English Channel. They are ancient Celtic cousins separated by the twisting hand of history. One tied to the UK the other France. It is fateful grace that their banners reflect their parallel coastlines.





















LE ERMINE:
The petite white weasel with a bit of black

Learn about Brittany's Pride and Flag Here

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part IX

The speaker for the ninth presentation was Dr. Vladimir Liscak of the Czech Republic. Dr. Vladimir is the head of the Department of East Asian Studies at the Oriental Institute of the Academy of Sciences and a member of the Czech Vexillological Society. His paper was entitled Early flags of China: Designs and Symbolism.

Dr. Valdimir gave us a short history of flags in China. Apparently China can lay claim to the oldest flags that used textiles. The various wars in ancient China required an effective use of flags on the battle field. The oldest flag poles in China almost always had a trident on top.


Although the US Flag Code may be the most popular reference in flag protocol, China may have the oldest flag code in text called the Rites of Zhou, which give strict flag guidelines and usage. The only contender to have an older book is Ancient Egypt, if only a flag protocol scroll is ever discovered.

Like in the west with heraldry flags were a phenomena primarily used by the high nobility.




You can visit the Czech Vexillological Society Here

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part VIII

The Flag of the Incas, by Gustav Tracchia first Vice President of NAVA was the eighth presentation. This talk centered on the genesis of the rainbow flags of South America and their associated connection with Native Culture.

Like a splendid story teller Gus started the presentation with a background history of the Inca Empire. First he made a distinction in the common misuse of the word Inca. Inca is not the real name of the Empire, Inca actually refers to the title for the leader of the people.

Imagine if in 4000 years a technologically advanced civilization lands in the United States and people from the future refer to the USA as the President of Democracy. It would sound a little funny to us now. A teacher would say, "Less than 60 years after the Present of Democracy built the first airplane the Presidents broke the sound barrier."

Rainbow Flag of Cuzco
A more accurate name is Tawantinsuyu which can be translated as the Four United States or Four United Provinces (F.U.S. or F.U.P.). Anyways this Empire of Four States was united literally by string, called keepu. They didn't have a written language but an amazing system of string knots to keep track of social business.

Essentially the rainbow flag is based upon foggy memories of Spanish record keepers. Much of Inca civilization was condemned and oppressed when the Spanish Conquistadors arrived. It was only after wards that a primitive anthropological survey of the Native Culture was done by Spanish Priests. In this process in an interview with a Native South American it was recorded that the 'Celestial Arch' was an important symbol for the Inca (Tawantisuyu).

Wiphala Flag of Bolivia
Since the Tawantisuyu Empire once stood in Peru and Bolivia they have used a priest's testimonial as the source and inspiration for several rainbow flags. However there apparently was no drawing or further description of this assumed rainbow flag or vexilloid. In Bolivia a flag called the Wiphala has become a symbol of the nation. Also in the nation of Peru, the city Cuzco uses a rainbow flag.




You Can Visit NAVA Here (North American Vexillological Association)

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part VII

The seventh eagerly awaited presentation was given by Lt. Colonel Steve Turpin. Turpin's presentation was entitled National Flags at NATO Headquarters. On NATO's 60th anniversary (1949-2009) Turpin was responsible for flag raising ceremonies at the Supreme Allied Command Transformation, SACT.

Interestingly Turpin is the first non-American to raise the US Flag on the 4th of July at an official US government function. Usually this honor is preformed by a US citizen. Lt. Colonel Turpin also officially raised the French Tri-Colour on Bastille Day.

At any NATO base there is an interesting interplay of politics of how flags should be flown. Like family members at a table, before a set policy was made it was (and sometimes still is) a rather confusing and touchy subject. As of now, the various national flags are rotated to a new position every Sunday. Flags are flown in the alphabetical order according to whichever nation they are in, unless the nation has more than two languages like Belgium, where they officially speak a Dutch and French. Apparently nations with NATO facilities have some discretion on how to fly the flags. But they should follow one rule, they must rotated every Sunday.

The Order of Flying National Flags
at NATO Operations can be rather
sensitive & confusing subject
Another interesting fact is that international flag etiquette is largely based on the US Flag Code, no other nation has such a developed sense of flag protocol. Often times nations will simply follow the guidelines and suggestions detailed in the US Flag Code.

Spanish Flag
with Mourning Cravat

An issue at the moment with NATO Flag etiquette is when nations desire to fly their banner at half staff: what should the other flags do? Often, other nations will also lower they banner out of respect. As had recently happened when the Polish President Kaczynski died in plane crash last month. There are also certain days when this must be done, so it can cause a rather unusual display of flags. One solution suggested is that a black mourning cravat (which is basically a black ribbon) be tied to the flag instead of lowering it.

Of things Yin and Yang, NATO's inclusion of West Germany in 1955 spurred the formation of WARSAW PACT. Coincidentally WARSAW PACT first took military action not against NATO but with its own member, a country that no longer exists: Czechoslovakia in 1968. While NATO's first military action took place with another nation that also no longer exists: Yugoslavia in 1999.

Ironically NATO was not waging war against leftists and Communism, rather NATO took military action against right wing Yugoslavians, mostly in defense of Muslims. But since 2001 NATO has been engaged in military action in Central Asia against right wing Muslims. Perhaps Afghanistan will follow the same fate of Yugoslavia, no longer existing by dividing into several smaller states?

The NATO symbol coincidentally looks like a cross

You Can Visit NATO's Official Site Here

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part VI

MP Andrew Rosindell
We were all excited to hear from the sixth speaker: a Member of Parliament, Andrew Rosindell who represents Romford which is on the North Eastern edge of Greater London.

MP Rosindell is serving his second term as an MP running with the conservative party. In parliament he founded the All Party Parliamentary Flag Group. This group's stated manifesto is to "promote the flying of the Union Flag and all flags associated with the UK and British Territories, and related matters."

I was excited to meet my first Tory and a member of parliament at that. Rosindell's presentation was entitled Ongoing Flag Campaigns.


Because I had lived in Japan for three years as an English Teacher, I rubbed a lot of elbows with teachers from the UK. The majority, actually all, that I meet were often liberal minded let's touch the world and be vegetarian people. Additionally the Aussies, Kiwis, Americans, and Canadians loved to wave their flag and wear it on their clothing. However I never ran into a Brit in Japan who had such a desire.


Apparently the people of Scotland and Wales fly their flag with pride and abundance when compared to England or the Union Flag. One of Rosindell's primary 'Flag Campaigns' is to get a Union Flag flying in all schools across England. I agree with Rosindell especially for public schools that receive benefit from the federal government.

There was something of a struggle to get the UK Union flag to fly permanently over Parliament. Rosindell informed me after his lecture, until quite recently the Union Flag was flown over Parliament only when it was in session.

Today they always fly the Union Flag over Parliament, but it has lost it's communicative purpose: to denote that the lawmakers are in session.






Since the UK flag always flies over Parliament here is a proposal for a 'Parliament is in Session Flag'. The charge on the fly is Coat of Arms of Simon De Montfort who called for the first elected Parliament in 1265 AD. Behind the arms, is a knights of the round table based upon the design at Winchester, that had 25 slots for 24 knights and one for the Lord or Sovereign.

You Can Visit MP Andrew Rosindells Official Site Here

UK Flag Institute Spring Meeting 2010: Part V

The fifth speaker at the meeting was the highly anticipated and distinguished Abdullah al Andalusi. He was originally born in the Church of England but later converted to Islam and has become something of a spokesperson for the British-Islamic view of
things.



Abdullah's lecture was entitled The Union Flag: a Muslim Perspective, of the British Flag. The talk started off with a spiritual charge as Andalusi began the presentation with an Islamic Invocation asking for the blessings of God the most merciful. He then went on to give us a general picture of how the Islamic World views the British Flag. He pointed out that the crosses are symbols of Christianity, but in the modern world the religious undertone of the British Flag is hardly noticed or a non issue. No part of the British Islamic community feels threatened or misrepresented by the British Flag. According to Andalusi the UK Union Flag represents the UK and not necessarily the faith of Christ.

Somebody addressed the issue of flags as being idols. Andalusi took the issue that God had made us distinct from one another so we could recognize each other, and he did so by quoting scripture from the Bible. I could infer that Anadlusi accepted that flags are there for a reason, but there is danger that they can be misused as idols.

Andalusi later said that flags in the Islamic World were historically used as battle flags so fighters and commanders knew who was fighting who. Although we often think of Islamic nations clashing with Christian nations, for much of history there has been Christian on Christian infighting as there was Islamic on Islamic in fighting. Just recently one of the most deadly conflicts of the post WWII era took place between Iraq and Iran, yet both nations are seriously dedicated to the teachings of the Koran.


An interesting point Andalusi clarified for me was the Shahadah flag, that has Arabic Calligraphy on it and uses the colours black and white. A black flag in Islam represents a war flag. Black is chosen because it represents mourning since war is a very sad event. However the white flag in Islam represents peace.

Andalusi also made a sincere appeal that Islam has a humanitarian perspective, and several times he iterated that since we are all the children of Adam and Eve we are simpl y one family of brothers and sisters under the house of Alla h, (or rather God).

Watch Adbullah al Andalusi interviews on by British Press on UK TV: Andalusi