The Inca Empire no longer exists, but their flag is still used in Peru. The banner of the indigenous peoples with the seven colors of the rainbow is called vipala, it symbolizes their unity before the conquest of the Spaniards. There are several basic versions related to its history. Vipala with multi-colored stripes - the banner of Tauantinsuyu, or the Inca Empire, the national symbol of Quechua. The rainbow flag has been owned by the indigenous Andean people for over 500 years. Each color and its place on the flag have their own meaning.
Historical background
The Inca Empire existed from about 1200 to 1572, when the last Inca (ruler) was killed by the Spaniards. Cuzco was the center of this state. The Inca Empire is one of the greatest civilizations of the past, with a rich history and culture and significant influence on the modern world. It fully or partially occupied the territory of six countries of modern South America.
Tauantinsuyu is the name of this state in one of the Indian languages. It was formed in the 12th century and lasted about four centuries. Its history began with the advent of the capital of the empire - the city of Cuzco. Today it is the most ancient city of Peru.
The Incas quickly expanded their lands, conquering whole nations one by one, spreading their traditions and culture among them. It was a huge state in which millions of people lived. The empire had a clear administrative structure based on four provinces. Each of them had its own capital, which was the center of trade and crafts.
The basics of symbolism
The Incas developed their own, rather complicated accounting system, in which various multi-colored threads connected into knots corresponded to various indicators related to a particular administrative unit. Each color had its own meaning: white was associated with the world, red with war, yellow with gold, etc.
State symbols
The most important deity for the people of the empire was the Sun. The rulers of the state considered him a living embodiment. Worship of the Sun has caused the high value of gold items. There was no official emblem or motto in the empire. In addition to solar symbols, the Indians often used rainbow themes.
The flag of the Inca Empire (photo in the article) is a multi-colored canvas in the shape of a square. Among the Indians, he was not the embodiment of patriotism and statehood, but rather the banner of the emperor. Regarding its accurate depiction, historians are still discussing this issue, offering various versions of the number and arrangement of colors on the flag of the Inca empire.
Vipala
That is the name of the indigenous flag of India of South America. It is considered the closest to the Inca banner and is a symbol of kinship with ancient people. It is a square canvas on which seven colors of the rainbow spectrum are located diagonally.
It is noteworthy that each tribe uses its own version of the flag of the Inca empire, depending on the territorial features. These varieties are based on the historical division of the state into four parts. People belonging to a particular province determines the color of the longest strip.
Prevalence on the continent
The rainbow symbol is often found in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia. In Ecuador, it is used by one of the public organizations, the canvas also depicts a mask, which is a local historical artifact. In Bolivia, the color banner is as popular as the official symbol of the country.
Flag of the Inca Empire and the city of Cuzco
Peruvian Cuzco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, currently uses the seven-color flag as an official symbol, a heritage of ancient culture. Banners with stripes from red to violet colors adorn the buildings of state institutions and the central city square. The idea of using a flag based on vipal belonged to one of the local radio hosts.
He became the official symbol of Cuzco in 1978. The rainbow flag was adopted by the inhabitants of the city and the entire Andean region as their symbol.
It represents the ethnic and social diversity of modern Cuzco, as well as the union of the individual parts that made up the Inca empire. In addition, the rainbow, as a divine symbol, means much more than just diversity. It denotes a bridge across major cosmic boundaries, such as heaven and earth, night and day.
Where else is the Inca flag used?
The symbol of the international pacifist movement is the rainbow, embodying diversity and reconciliation. The flag of the world was first used in 1961 during a march in Italy. However, it shows an inverted sequence of colors: from purple to red. In the middle of the canvas is the word "peace".
The LGBT movement has chosen the rainbow flag as an international symbol. The purpose of the community is to protect the rights of sexual minorities. The canvas depicts a traditional rainbow palette. The flag first appeared in 1978 during a gay parade in the United States. Since then, everywhere this symbol has been used in demonstrations and promotions, is placed in special institutions and organizations. In this regard, the authorities of Cuzco in Peru thought about changing the symbol of the city.