If you have long been attracted to the exotic country of Indonesia, you should learn more about it. Heraldry will help to study it. The national flag of Indonesia, photos and images of which you have probably already seen, has been used since 1945. What does it mean and how was it adopted?
Modern look
Indonesia flag looks like a rectangle. The traditional form is complemented by the classical proportion - the width refers to the length as two to three. Exactly in the middle, the banner is divided into two parts. Its upper half is made in bright red, and the bottom is white. Often, the flag of Indonesia is called bicolor. It is interesting that the flag of the naval forces looks a little different - it has nine stripes of the same colors. Five of them are made in red, and four are white. The standard also has an unofficial name - “war snakes”.
Color meaning
In the culture of most countries, white is associated with freedom, independence, and the desire for peace, and red usually serves as an indication of the struggle for sovereignty, of the shed blood of patriots. In Indonesia, this is not so. This combination of colors is heraldic and indicates the historical belonging of these lands of the Majapahit dynasty.
Appearance story
The flag of Indonesia was first used as early as the fourteenth century. During the time of the state of Majapahit, the country was incredibly developed. A powerful state traded with all neighboring Asian peoples, each city was famous for its influence and beauty. The flag used in those times is considered a national relic. That is why it was decided to take it as a basis in 1945, when the state gained independence.
Such a banner has soared above the residence of the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno. Now he is considered a national hero: he has done a lot for the homeland and became the founder of the ruling party. He personally stitched the first flag of Indonesia. He was raised above the first-person palace in honor of Independence Day for many years in a row. After some time, the cloth was replaced with a copy, and the original version was sent to the museum, where it is currently stored.
What is interesting: the striped naval standards also repeat the symbolism that was used during the time of the great power of Majapahit. In addition, the flag of Indonesia strongly resembles the standard of Monaco. A state from Europe even expressed protest, but the ancient origin was considered sufficient reason to reject it. As a result, two completely different countries use symbols that are almost impossible to distinguish.