Afghanistan and Darfur - Fraternal Twins from Asia to Africa

Afghanistan Flag 21 Century Colours

Red-Green and Black-White Flag

Ever since the fall of the British Empire in the 1950s, two regions of Asia and Africa have become perpetual war zones. Sudan has recently - 2011 - saw succession of its southern region in to the new nation of South Sudan. However the south-western region - Darfur - is still in conflict. The primary colours of the Darfur rebels follows in rhythm with the colours of Afghanistan.

Likewise in the heart of Asia, Afghanistan has been host to the uncomfortable and obnoxious guest of 'CIVIL WAR.'

Rebel Flag of Darfur, South Western Sudan
White-Black and Green-Red Flag

Both Darfur and Afghanistan have been in a state of chaos and civil war for all of the 21st century. The combatants are of a similar religion - Islam. Yet can not agree on the rule of law and lines of division.

We are the world, and these two regions of Earth have been thrust into the limelight of our intelligence agencies. In the afterglow of the Cold War they continued to simmer and boil, eventually catching the attention of the west and the wealthiest of nations. It illustrates the ancient proverb that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Fraternal Colours - Afghanistan and Darfur

US Navy Commission Pennant and the Flag of North Carolina

The US Navy Commission Pennant is an American flag with a distinguished look for military use only. It consists of seven white stars near the hoist and a tail of red and white, with red on top. Its design resembles the State Flag of North Carolina the most. Since both flags have the same basic pattern in order.

There is one coincidence with the number of stars - seven. The first version of the Confederacy's Naval Jack consisted of seven stars on blue, since there were originally seven states in the Confederacy before the shelling of Ft. Sumter in 1861.

7 Stars on first design of CSA Jack
7 Stars on US Navy Commission Pennant

(1) South Carolina
(2) Mississippi
(3) Florida
(4) Alabama
(5) Georgia
(6) Louisiana
(7) Texas

Texas comes in with a close second. Its basic design is arguably a nice match for the US Navy Commission pennant but the it'd be an upside down comparison. North Carolina has the red bar up top as does the US Navy.

Besides North Carolina is the original and King of the Hill for the Original 13 colonies. There is no mountain higher than King Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina in all of the lands east of the Mississippi. The great synchronicity is that this flag is flown from the highest part of the ship mirrors the flag design of the tallest state in the original 13 colonies - North Carolina.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, part 6 - the Third Reich Vexillum

Indiana Jones infiltrating the Nazis

Indie is facing us, the Nazis are facing away

The term vexillology originates from a specific type of flag that was flown during the Ancient Roman Empire - the Vexillum. A Vexillum is a specific kind of flag that is carried from a cross bar, to keep the face of the flag unfurled. Modern rectangular flags are dependent on the wind to keep the face of the flag open. When there is no wind a modern flag can be easily mistaken or misidentified.

Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 used proper vexillums to represent the antagonists. Nazi vexillums are shown when they shuttle the Lost Ark of the Hebrew Covenant to a mountain altar.The Ark of the Covenant is the key point of the holy of holiest in Hebrew Custom. It was a source of power, protection, and wrath of the divine. In its most modern and most powerful portrayal it, the Ark of the Covenant is ironically shuttled to a remote Greek Isle by a team of Nazi Archeological Researchers.

The Ark of the Covenant is under the Purple Linen

They are successful in opening the Ark and seeing its inner spiritual splendor, but there are harsh consequences for their actions. But before they are privileged to witness the supernatural phenomena reveals itself to them, all of the electronic recording devices are magically disabled. In the picture below the modern technological electronic equipment is rendered useless by some kind of supernatural means.

Notice Third Reich Flags on cross banners

the recording devices are extinguished by the Ark, before revealing its glory

Flag of Asbestos, Quebec

Aasif Mandvi next to Asbestos Flag
Asbestos, Quebec

Did you know that Asbestos has a flag? Asbestos, Quebec that is. It used to have the world's largest Asbestos mine, but due to the association with cancer it has led to decline in economic activity.



The flag of Asbestos employs the colours red, blue, grey, white and black. The name is written in white with a white underline and white over-line.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, part 5 - the Nazi Flag

Indiana Jones being rescued by a Nazi Flag?

Raiders of the Lost 1981 was an epic movie that enshrined some of the best elements of American Cinema. The hero of the story is an Archaeologist who has the amazing ability to over come the odds with wit and grit - Dr. Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford.

The time frame of Raiders of the Lost Ark is set in the late 1930s during rise of the Third Reich. In this scene Indiana Jones is dressed as an Arab in order to infiltrate an Egyptian map room. His partner - Sallah - was supposed to use a regular rope to rescue him back out, but it was confiscated. Since Sallah didn't have access to a proper rope, Sallah rescues Indiana Jones with a makeshift rope made partly from a Nazi Flag.

Indiana Jones dressed in a Nazi Uniform

In this scene Indiana Jones has taken on the dress of a German Military Officer in order to infiltrate the secret military base. His objectives are to recover the Lost Ark and rescue his true love - Marion.

The Nazi Flag is considered an inflammatory symbol and banned by various communities. However in the context of Raiders of the Lost Ark, it became a not so offensive yet essential movie set prop.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, part 4 - Flag of Kriegsmarine

Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981
Flag of the Kriegsmarine

In Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 Harrison Ford plays as the dashing and heroic archaeologist in pursuit of the biblical treasures. He travels the world from Asia to Arabia on his quest.

Upon his grand discovery of the Lost Ark, he takes a life and death chance to get it back. He secretly boards a German Sub and puts his faith in the unknown. The pic above shows Indy boarding the German Sub. Luckily for Indy, the sub does not submerge before arriving at its secret location in the Greek Isles. In the far distance his allied shipmates are cheering him to save Marion and to protect the Lost Ark.

Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981

Kriegsmarine Nazi Flag as it appeared from the obverse

The WWII Kriegsmarine flag appears from the obverse side in this movie. The flag of the German Navy during WWII featured a black and white Scandinavian cross centered on a swastika on a red field.

Hollywood is one of the few places where you can get people to pay you money to wave a Nazi Flag in front of your face - but remember context is key. In 1981 G. Lucas and S. Spielberg were successful in waving the Nazi flag and in the same work of art at great profit, burn the American Flag.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, part 3 - the Staff of Ra and the Hebew High Preist

Indiana Jones with a vexilloid - the Staff of Ra

Vexillology is mostly the study of flags, but it also encompasses objects that act in a similar manner to flags - especially staffs, maces, or sacred poles. In Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981, the Staff of Ra is not a flag but is a vexilloid. The headpiece features an ornamental design with a red crystal. The headpiece or finial was given to Indy from his true love sweet heart, Marion.

When the Staff of Ra is put in the proper place at the right time in an ancient Egyptian map room, it reflects the light of the sun to reveal the hidden location of the Lost Ark.

Notice Ancient Egyptian Vexilloids on the Wall
the crook and other staff - denoting rank and power

In this scene Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is disguised as an Egyptian worker in native Islamic dress in order to get access to the map room. Indy has additional information that the Nazi's are unaware of, this allows him to find the Lost Ark before the Nazis.

The 'Hebrew' Ram Staff
Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981

Later in the movie they open the ark on a secret inland in the Mediterranean Sea. Before opening the Lost Ark they decided to follow proper Old Testament ritual in order to see its contents. The man on the left Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman) is dressed as the Hebrew High Priest. Rene is holding a vexilloid. Its finial is a multi-faced golden ram head. The High Priest also has the breastplate of the 12 tribes of Israel with its assigned crystal.