The Argentina's flag Is composed of three horizontal stripes of the same size, with a ratio of 9 to 14. At the top and bottom the bands are light blue, while the center is white with a human face sun in the middle.
The Colors of the argentinian flag , Celestial and white with a sun in the center, represent the sky, being a symbolization of the tones of the sky. But its meaning goes much further, as you will discover throughout this article.
The flag is one of the three national symbols that represent the Argentine Republic at the international level, along with the shield and the anthem.
This badge was created by Manuel Belgrano , Inspired by the colors of the rosette, and was first hoisted on February 27, 1812 in the city of Rosario, province of Santa Fe, where still remains the moment of that act.
The colors of the flag are related to the tonalities of the dresses of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, one of the most emblematic emblems of the Bourbon power, which boasted the reign of Spain.
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History of the Argentine flag and its colors
The history of the Argentine flag began after the battles of the independence, precisely with Manuel Belgrano like main impeller.
The national process was based for the creation of the banner in the colors of the Argentine rosette, that were distributed for the first time between 22 and 25 of May of 1810 by Domingo French Y Antonio Luis Beruti On the eve of the May Revolution.
This first badge was officially approved on February 18, 1812 and would only be July 20, 1816 when the flag would be adopted definitively by the Congress of Tucumán.
Symbolism
The two celestial fringes of the top and bottom, the central white and the sun, have a symbolic explanation, outside their inspiration in the cockade.
There is some discussion about the tones and their representation. For some records the first tones were not celestial but turquoise, but the difficulty to get cloths of that color, forced to use the celestial.
Its meaning, meanwhile, has for some researchers its origin in the Order of Charles III of the House of Bourbon, who ruled Spain, while other currents maintain that it is related to the Virgin.
The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, is represented traditionally with albicelestes tones, like symbol of the sky and was one of the emblems of the Spanish reign.
Although there are records that give account of these origins, still today it is taught in the Argentine schools that Manuel Belgrano used the clouds as inspiration for the national flag.
Also these colors, celestial and white, were the chosen ones for its badges by the members of the Patriotic Society (a political group that defended the ideas of Mariano Moreno, another one of the national heroes of the independence).
Although it is believed that the relation of tones was inverted, instead of celestial-white-celestial was white-celestial-white, the colors were the same and they were maintained.
In the center of the flag appears a sun, with a human face. This represents the May Revolution, where Argentina achieved its independence from Spain.
In addition, the king febo of the Argentine standard is a tribute to Inti, Inca God of the Sun, that is why it has a face with human features and a serene expression.
It is yellow gold, with thirty-two rays, sixteen of them arranged clockwise, while the rest are straight. The flag with sun was used only for military purposes, until in 1985 it was established for all official acts.
The two oldest flags that are registered are located in the Bolivian town of Macha, one of them has the inverted color relation and the other only has two stripes, one of each tone. It is believed that the latter was the one hoisted Belgrano in Rosario.
First Lifted
The Argentine flag that Belgrano raised in the Paraná River / Image via: consuladodebolivia.com.ar
At 18:30 on February 27, 1812, Manuel Belgrano ordered the raising of the Argentine flag for the first time at the foot of the Parana River in Rosario, where the monument to that banner is still erected today.
Before two batteries of artillery, one on each bank, Belgrano in a simple act would mark one of the most important moments of the history of the country, when he raised the celestial cloth and white.
This first flag raised by Belgrano was made by Mrs. Maria Catalina Echevarria de Vidal, who lived in Rosario. While it was another neighbor of the city, Cosme Maciel, who raised the emblem to the sky.
Flag Day
In Argentina, it is celebrated with a Flag Day holiday on June 20 of each year, in memory of the death of Manuel Belgrano, who died on that day in 1820.
Among other official events, pupils in the fourth year of primary schooling (10 years) of all schools in the country swear the flag on nearby dates.
Modifications
Throughout national history, the Argentine flag underwent some modifications, as much in its tonal aspect, with more intense colors, clear and dark, as in the conformation of the sun.
From the hoisting in Rosario, from the half-celestial half-white cloth, it was spent four years later on the current design, but in the middle was added a red cross band, which expressed the federal ideas.
There were other changes, such as the incorporation of the frigio cap punzó of the national shield, but they were never officially adopted. Since 1985 there is only one official design, after which the flag of war will be rendered ineffective.
References
- An illustrated education. Major protagonists of Argentine history: Manuel Belgrano, Félix Luna, Diario La Nación, 2004.
- Ephemerides June 20, Felipe Pigna, Planeta, Argentina, 2009.
- Belgrano makes a flag and goes first, Adela Basch, Alfaguara, Argentina, 2005.