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Portland Association Publication 1

Portland Flag Association ―Free, and Worth Every Penny!‖ Issue 23 October 2009

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The Sámi Flag The Sámi Flag 1 By Marshall Goldberg new design by Astrid Bahl. Neighborhood 2 The Sámi People are the indige- nous Nation of and The following design elements are October 2009 Flutterings 4 the Russian Kola Peninsula who incorporated: Flags fin the News & Elsewhere 5 refer to their territory as Sápmi. (1) Four National Colors Flag Related Websites 6 On August 15, 1986, the Sámi Next Meeting Announcement 6 Council unanimously adopted this  Blue – represents the moon. first official flag. There had been 7 The Flag Quiz an unofficial flag for some years  Red – represents the sun and the that was used to rally around dur- sacred Red Alder tree’s medicinal ing political confrontations. dark extract.  Green – very prominent color in the Gakti, the national costume.

 Yellow – summer sun; their ―golden‖ language (Finno-Ugric).

(2) The Circle

Early Unofficial Flag  Drum-head of a shaman’s drum traditionally painted with many Flown on ten official flag days, Sámi shaman spiritual symbols. the official flag was developed Sámi Shaman (NoAidi) use the through a competitive process drum to achieve the ecstatic and came down to the unofficial trance state (through entrain- flag that was being used and this ment) essential for bridging their two realms of reality (physical and spiritual).

 The circle represents both an opening to and a map of ―the other side.‖ “If you want a symbolic gesture, don’t burn the  A link which literally holds flag; wash it.” (Continued on page 6) New Official Flag —Norman Thomas, If you wish to compliment the editor, to contribute in the future, contact John Hood Social Reformer at 503-238-7666 or [email protected]. If you wish to complain, call your mother. 2 Portland Flag Association Publication Neighborhood Flags flags to be unfurled and rallies to from around the City: be formed. Here are a few flags (Continued on page 3) By John Hood Michael Orelove sent me an article from Portland Spaces magazine that told the story of a neighborhood activist and his interest in neighbor- hood flags. As it turns out the gen- tleman, Goudarz Eghtedari, is now the Editor of my (Laurelhurst) neighborhood newsletter.

For years I, too, was an activist. In the early 1990’s I attended a Con- gress of Portland Neighborhoods and was amazed at the flags that had been made to provide a sense of for each neighbor- hood. It began in 1966 when Lair Hill banded together to fight a City project. It worked so well that by 1974 the City recognized the asso- ciations’ right to exist and formed the Office of Neighborhood Asso- ciations.

By 1984, there were 78 associations and a Hillside activist proposed each have a flag. Currently, there are 93 neighborhoods. Not all have flags and those that do may not wave them often, but when a dis- pute with the City arises, there are

Portland Flag Association Publication 3 (Continued from page 2) Neighborhood Flags

4 Portland Flag Association Publication October 2009 Flutterings You Need to Know We spent a lot of time discussing a More can found on that country at prospective flag for our group. In www.westxylophone.com. response to calling for designs last time, we had thirty to pour over. Several used variations of the NAVA ―V‖ theme and most were based on elements and/or colors of Werner also showed an old book the Portland City Flag. Ultimately, he acquired: The Writing Table as the first cut, each person present for the Twentieth Century by F. chose one flag which gave us thir- Schuyler Mathews was published West Xylophone teen designs to consider. Included by Brentano’s in 1900, and is with this newsletter is a survey about both and the en- form for the local members to rate graving for stationery—an odd Ted Kaye put on a Power Point each design. After the scores are combination. presentation of NAVA 43 that just in, we’ll vote on the top four de- occurred in Charleston, South signs. The next newsletter will David Ferriday provided us with some ―Flags in the News,‖ (see Carolina. He also displayed the carry a more complete story of the flags he brought back—the NAVA process and the final four designs. page four). He also quizzed us on what was purported to be the 43 Flag and the South Carolina During the last meeting, Mike Hale largest indoor flag. It was dis- Flag. said there were very few apps for played in the Crystal Cathedral, flags on his iPhone. David Koski, Garden Grove, CA on Memorial who is always working magic on his day and was ten stories tall. iPhone by showing us pictures of flags as they come up in conversa- Scott Mainwaring showed off a tion, said that there were many flag he got from Amazon.com. It more apps available now, but their was the Third of ratios are not accurate. Everything the Confederacy with Barack NAVA 43 seems to be 3x5 (U.S. manufac- Obama’s campaign logo replacing ture’s standard), even Switzerland. the battle flag symbol. He also

Werner Bittner is a boater and has shown us burgees in the past. This time he told us of an island down- stream in the Columbia that can only be reached at high tide. It’s a fine and private place for a picnic and also sports a optional South Carolina beach. He decided it needed a flag showed a video of ―They Might and set out to draw one. The edi- Be Giants‖ doing Alphabets of Michael Orelove, back from bum- tor did his best to recreate it on the Nations showing their flags. It ming around Alaska, brought the computer, but the colors are not goes from Algeria to Zimbabwe, book he was enjoying—The Star quite right. However, it is a fine and the only one not readily rec- Spangled Banner. There was a symbol for Gull Island. ognized is West Xylophone. review of this book in last Octo- ber’s newsletter.

Portland Flag Association Publication 5 Flags in the News and Elsewhere Michael Orelove missed the last meeting but he sent these pictures of he After the article last time on nick- and Kathleen Forrest traveling in Alaska. names for flags, someone (I can’t remember who so I can’t give proper credit) told me that the Rus- sian Flag was referred to as Besik— the first letters of its colors. I dis- cussed this with the Russian watch repairman at Fred Meyer and he helped me with the transliterations. By the way, he knew nothing of the nickname.

Here they display the Oregon Flag in front of the Mendenhall Glacier prior to white water rafting down the Mendenhall River.

David Ferriday brought a couple Бecик – nickname for Russian flag of examples of flags in the news. (Cyrillic)

Besik – nickname for Russian flag (transliteration)

white – белый (Cyrillic)

beliy (transliteration)

blue – синий (Cyrillic)

This was from an editorial from The siniy (transliteration) Oregonian on Labor Day—a very clever way of making a point. red – красный (Cyrillic)

krasniy (transliteration)

They posed with the Alaska Flag in front of the Alaska State Capitol in Jun- eau prior to going in to see the Gover- nor. Sarah wasn’t there. An article in the New York Times Magazine discussed the amount China has invested in our Treasury bonds. Could this be the flag when China has 51% of the U.S. debt? In the words of Ted Kaye, “Yikes!” 6 Portland Flag Association Publication January Meeting Some Flag Related Web- The Sámi Flag (Continued from page 1) John Schilke has invited us to his NAVA http://www.nava.org home for the January meeting in together the flag elements. Far Lake Oswego. It will be Janu- (United Kingdom) http://www.flaginstitute.org This binding of the flag’s ary 14, 2010, at 7 pm, 17440 Holy color bands represents the Names Dr., Lake Oswego, 503-636 Flags of the World http:// Sámi concept of the inter- -0166. www.fotw.net relatedness of all elements of nature (including the human) The Schilkes have retired to Mary’s Elmer’s Flag & Banner http:// and the ultimate unity of crea- Woods which is part of the Sisters www.elmersflag.com tion (material and sacred of the Holy Names property and Darwin, Northern Territory worlds). next to Marylhurst University. Be- (Australia) http:// low is a general map to get there, www.nationalflags.com.au (3) Blue half of circle but John has promised more defini- The moon guiding this no- tive directions to be enclosed with Flag Society of Australia http:// madic people at night while www.flagsaustralia.com.au the January reminder. illuminating their path. The moon’s actual silver color at We will be discussing the rating and Flag Research Center http:// night represents their region’s ranking of the PFA flag designs as www.flagresearchcenter.com rivers. tabulated from the attached supple- Southern African Vexillological ment. An idea was raised as we Assoc. http://www.savaflags.org.za (4) Red half of circle were leaving Scott’s house that need to consider. Another thing The sun, signifying that the since we are becoming a larger to consider is where can we en- Sámi are ―Children of the group, perhaps we should meet bi- courage good flags before bad Sun‖ following the mating of monthly and keep the meetings a flags are approved? What cities, female (moon) and male (sun) little shorter. I know that some agencies, institutions are in need elements in the complete cir- contributions have been passed be- of a great symbol to display and cle. cause of time constraints. There rally around? Bring your ideas to have been more offers of meeting As nomadic herdsmen (reindeer) John’s in January. locations, so this is something we and fishermen, the Sámi have long endured attempts at ―ethnic cleansing.‖ Suffering ―killing ene- mies,‖ ―bad trades,‖ ―sly and evil thieves,‖ (of possessions, women and now grazing land), the Sámi have survived attempts to destroy their language and culture*. The depredations of the surrounding dominant, technological cultures (Scandinavian and Russian) per- sisted through time and continue today in territorial encroachment. *Quotations from the Sámi National Epic Poem/Anthem – Sámi Soga Lavlla (lyrics by Isak Saba – 1906).

Portland Flag Association Publication 7 What Was that Flag? Answers to the last quiz What’s that Flag? What these flags with Scandinavian seems to be wrong. Bologna Thanksgiving will be coming up have in common is that they should have the centered St. soon so it seems appropriate to fea- do not come from anywhere near George . The Belarusian ture flags that proclaim the holiday Scandinavia. Christian-Democratic Union themes of cranberries, pumpkins, adopted this flag in 1991. etc.:

Andalucía, Colombia The colors possibly come from the flag of the Department of Valle in which Andalucía is located. They are CIDEC, Argentina taken from the Virgin Mary’s rai- The Fundación Centro Interdisci- ments.. The shape is not mentioned. plinario de Estudios Culturales is a pioneer in activities which spread throughout Latin Amer- ica. (http://www.funcidec.org.ar/ home)

Bayamón,

The white and blue represent the Pula, waters of the Río Bayamón. The There does not seem to be any de- cross is from the , rep- finitive history of why a Scandina- resenting the cross of the municipal- vian cross, but since it comes from ity’s first church. the Coat of Arms, it is logical to transform a cross thusly. The flag has been used since the early 1990’s.

Belarusian Christian-Democratic Union

I have seen this offset cross as the flag for Bologna, Italy, but that