no. 207 julynava september 2010 canadian...

NO. 207 JULY—SEPTEMBER 2010

NAVANews

www.nava.org

The Quarterly Newsletter of theNorth American Vexillological Association

Canadian TerritorialCanadian TerritorialCommissionersCommissioners

Page 2Page 2

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...

Milestones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Teaching with Flags in Beijing, China . . . 4Book Review: Betsy Ross. . . . . . . . . . . . 6New Flags: Finchfield, England . . . . . . . 7Minor U.S. Possessions: Midway . . . . . . 8Historic Flags at Winterthur . . . . . . . . . . 9Uncanny Flag Coincidences . . . . . . . . . . 10Chumley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1324 ICV Flag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

A banner flying near Hallstat, Austria.Ted Kaye

Friends:

I’ve been thinking a lot about professionalism in vexil-lology lately. As I visit with many of you, I’ve heardmany stories of current or past conflicts over either thenature of our chosen interest as an object of seriousstudy or over the direction of the institutions we’vecreated to promote and further that study.

Some think vexillology is too serious while othersdeplore a “flags are fun” approach as too frivolous.Some think that vexillological organizations shouldprint only “popular” material while others think thatvexillogical publications ignore meaningful researchthat isn’t easily reduced to bullet points. And there’s

a continuing struggle to developorganizations that attract andretain members because of dis-agreements over these issues thatboil over into situations wherefolks get their feelings hurt andwithdraw from active participation.

It’s no secret that many of us have strong personali-ties. That’s understandable because flags themselvesevoke strong emotions. But we shouldn’t let honestdisagreements and debates over issues, policy, andoperations cause bad blood. It’s no secret that in vexil-lological organizations around the world, includingNAVA, people refuse to work with one another or formgroups altogether.

That’s just a shame. For one, there are not thatmany of us to begin with. For another, it wastes valu-able time on distractions that could be better spent onbuilding and improving our knowledge and our institu-tions.

We should set for ourselves the highest standards ofeducation (whether formal or informal) and applicationof intellectual skills. We should take pride in our workas students of flags and derive fulfillment from it. Weshould insist that every activity and every publicationreflect these high standards. And we should accordeach other the basic values of openness, honesty, andcivility in our dealings with each other and the largercommunity of scholars and enthusiasts. Those are thetenets of professionalism in vexillology.

I used to read comic books as a kid, includingreprints of ones issued during World War II. The super-heroes were always fighting for the American values ofdecency towards one’s neighbor and fair play for all.

NAVA NewsPETER A. ANSOFF, EDITOR

HUGH L. BRADY, EDWARD B. KAYE,DAVID B. MARTUCCI, JOHN A. LOWE

EDITORIAL BOARD

North American Vexillological AssociationFOUNDED 1967

HUGH L. BRADY, PRESIDENT

GUSTAVO TRACCHIA, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

ANNE M. PLATOFF, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

WILLIAM J. TRINKLE, SECRETARY

EDWARD B. KAYE, TREASURER

NAVA News 207, (ISSN 1053-3338), July-Sept 2010, Vol. 43, No. 3Published quarterly by North American Vexillological Association,

1977 N. Olden Ave. Ext. PMB 225, Trenton, NJ 08618-2193.A benefit of NAVA membership. Articles, letters to the editor, and inquiriesabout rates and permissions may be sent to the editorial office.Editorial Office: NAVA News Editor, 1977 N. Olden Ave. Ext. PMB 225,Trenton, NJ 08618-2193. [email protected]: Send address changes to NAVA News, 1977 N. Olden Ave.Ext. PMB 225, Trenton, NJ 08618-2193.© 2010 North American Vexillological Association. All rights reserved.

Views expressed are those of individual authors and may not representthe views of NAVA, its officers, or the editor.

Contact Hugh Brady: [email protected]

HUGHBRADY

FROM THE PRESIDENT

A New Spirit of ProfessionalismI’ve never thought that those were incompatible withscholarly inquiry, intellectual dissent, and vigorousdebate. Rather, they set the rules of the game bywhich those activities are conducted.

For example, to recognize that there are untappedtalents that should be encouraged shouldn’t be viewedas criticism of current leaders. To suggest that thereare certain lines of vexillological inquiry that are beingignored shouldn’t be viewed as sideswiping thoseworking in other areas. And to engage in open andhonest debate on any topic shouldn’t be viewed aspersonal attacks.

As I’ve written in this column before, we faceserious challenges as an organization and as a validfield of scholarly work in the next decade. We mustwork together, putting aside past differences, to meetthose challenges. If we can’t objectively appraise eachsituation and respond with the best that we have tooffer, vexillology will end up like other dead sciences:a historical curio.

NAVA turns 50 in just a few short years. I hope thatas we approach this golden jubilee that we will all beworking together in a spirit of professionalism—bothfor our sake and for NAVA’s.

HUGH BRADYPRESIDENT

NAVA News · No. 207 · July–September 2010 · 1

EDITOR’S NOTE

EditorialMusings

Dear NN Readers,

As President Brady says in his remarks on the insidefront cover, there are many points of view about whatconstitutes legitimate vexillological material. This issueof NAVA News presents a spectrum of articles thatexemplify this, from the scholarly writings of Jim Croftand Roman Klimeš to the pedagogical insights of DavidHeath and the whimsy of Chris Maddish. Personally,I think that we’re striking just about the right balancebetween “Flags Are Fun” features and original scholar-ship that will be cited in other peoples’ footnotes.I hope that you agree.

PETER ANSOFFEDITOR

Next year’s NAVA meeting will be different!• It will take place concurrently with 24 ICV• It will take place in August rather than October• It will last a week rather than a weekend

For the first time since 1999, NAVA will host theInternational Congress of Vexillology—in Washington,DC, 1-5 August 2011.

For many NAVA members, this will be their first oppor-tunity to connect with leaders and members of dozensof vexillological associations from around the world.While a typical NAVA meeting might have ten presen-tations, an ICV will have three to four times as many,covering a broad range of flag topics.

Find initial information on the Washington FlagCongress at www.nava.org; this will be a major sourceof more detail as plans proceed. A substantial early-bird discount rewards those who make a prompt deci-sion to attend—consider your 2011 plans now!

Producing an ICV takes a significantly larger pool ofvolunteers than does a NAVA meeting. Members ofthe Chesapeake Bay Flag Association are the “presenceon the ground” for the ICV, but there are many oppor-tunities for NAVA members to help from a distance.For example, these areas need volunteers: name tags,public relations, packet procurement, photography, etc.Please contact coordinator Ted Kaye at [email protected] volunteer.

Flag Meetings in 2011 MILESTONES

Contact Peter Ansoff: [email protected]

NAVA member MichaelOrelove is growing an

American flag in his“flower bed” at hishome in Gresham,

Oregon. The flowers in the

stripes are impatiens:‘accent scarlet’ for thered and ‘accent white’

for the white. The flowers in the blue

canton are‘crystal palace’ lobelia.

Michael is holding asparkler to celebrate the4th of July at his garden.

Send your field reportsto [email protected]

FIELD REPORT: OREGON

Call for 24 ICV Meeting PapersIf you wish to present apaper or set up a displayat 24 ICV / NAVA 45,please mail the followinginformation to 1st VP GusTracchia by 31 March2011:

1) Your name, address,telephone number,and e-mail address ifavailable;

2) Title of your paper,presentation, sympo-sium, workshop, orexhibit;

3) Abstract of yourpaper, presentation,symposium, work-shop, or exhibit;

4) Type and size ofexhibit area and/orequipment needed,including tables, elec-trical requirements,audio/visual equip-ment.

Notice of acceptance willbe sent no later than30 April 2011.

If it is a paper, pleasesend a complete copy (inpublishable form in bothhard-copy and electronicfile) by 30 June 2011.

Presenters who have notprovided this copy by thedeadline, or made otheracceptable arrangements,will be deleted from themeeting schedule.

Send materials to:Don Gustavo Tracchia82-67 Austin St #205Kew Gardens, NY11415 USA(718) 847-2616e-mail: [email protected]

See www.nava.org formore information.

2 · July–September 2010 · No. 207 · NAVA News

Flags of CanadianTerritorial CommissionersBY JAMES CROFT

The Canadian Heraldic Authority has in recentyears granted flags and badges to the commis-sioners of the three Canadian territories:Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut.The commissioner of a territory has the rolesimilar to that of a lieutenant-governor of aprovince—the senior representative ofCanada’s federal government in the territory.That role has changed through time and is nowlargely ceremonial.

The commissioner once was the chief exec-utive officer of a territory, responsible foradministering a territory under instructionsfrom the federal government minister of IndianAffairs and Northern Development. However,today all territories have elected legislativeassemblies and their own premiers and cabi-net, who have taken over most of the roles andduties previously held by a commissioner.

The design of a commissioner’s flag is simi-lar to that of a lieutenant-governor. It has ablue field and in the center are the shield andcrest of the territorial coat of arms. The shieldis flanked by two branches, each bearing threegold maple leaves, and ensigned by the territo-rial flower. The difference between a commis-sioner’s flag and that of a lieutenant-governoris that the second has a royal crown above theshield instead of the respective provincial crest,is flanked by two branches bearing five, ratherthan three, golden maple leaves each, and isnot ensigned by the provincial flower.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

The flag and badge of the Commissioner ofthe Northwest Territories were granted on 15June 2006. The flag has a dark blue field withthe coat of arms of the Northwest Territories,approved by Elizabeth II in 1956, in the center.The shield is flanked by two branches of threegold maple leaves, each ensigned by a whitemountain avens flower.

“The white upper third of the shield repre-sents the polar ice pack and is crossed by a

wavy blue line thatsymbolizes theNorthwest Passage,The lower portion isdivided diagonally by

a wavy line that represents the treeline; thegreen stands for the forested areas south of thetreeline, and the red represents the tundra tothe north. Minerals and fur, the foundation ofnorthern wealth, are represented by gold billetsin the green section of the shield and the maskof a white fox in the red section. The crest issupported by two narwhals; the compass rosebetween them represents the North Pole.”1

YUKON

The flag and badge of the Commissioner ofYukon were granted on 10 December 2007.The flag has a dark blue field with the shieldand crest of the Yukon coat of arms, approvedby Elizabeth II and adopted by the YukonLegislative Council in 1956, in the center withintwo branches of three gold maple leaves, eachensigned by a white fireweed flower.

“The Cross of St. George at the top of theshield refers to the early explorers and furtraders from England, while the round panel ofheraldic fur in the center of the cross symbol-izes the fur trade. The wavy white and bluevertical stripes in the lower part of the shield

Central Device, Northwest Territories

The qulliq, or Inuitstone lamp, repre-sents the light andwarmth of family andcommunity.

“Above, the concave arc of five gold circlesrefers to the life-giving properties of the sun,which arches above and below the horizondepending on the season. The star is theNiqirtsituq, the North Star, the traditional guidefor navigation. More broadly, the star repre-sents the unchanging nature of the leadershipof elders in the community.

“In the crest, the iglu represents the tradi-tional life of the people and the means of sur-vival. It also symbolizes the assembled mem-bers of the legislative meeting together for thegood of Nunavut. The Royal Crown symbolizespublic government for all the people ofNunavut and the equivalent status of Nunavutwith other territories and provinces in theCanadian Confederation.”3

1, 2, 3 Symbols of Canada. Canadian Heritage, Québec, 2008, pp. 39–44.

James Croft is a former editor of NAVA News and the director of the Institute of Civic Heraldry in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

He thanks the Canadian Heraldic Authority for assistance inpreparing this paper and providing the artwork.

represent the YukonRiver and gold-bear-ing creeks of theKlondike. The redspire-like forms rep-

resent the mountains of Yukon, and the twogold discs in each spire symbolize the territo-ry’s mineral resources. The crest above theshield features a malamute (or husky) dogstanding on a mound of snow.”2

NUNAVUT

The flag and badge of the Commissioner ofNunavut were granted on 20 March 2009. Theflag has a dark blue field charged with theshield and crest of the Nunavut coat of arms inthe center. The coat of arms was granted on1 April 1999 by the Right Honorable RomeoLeBlanc, Governor General of Canada. Theshield is within two branches of three goldmaple leaves, each ensigned by a purple sax-ifrage flower in natural colors.

“The colors blue and gold symbolize theriches of the land, sea, and sky. In the base ofthe shield, the inuksuk symbolizes the stonemonuments which guide the people on the landand mark sacred and other special places.


Central Device, Yukon

Central Device, Nunavut

4 · July-–September 2010 · No. 207 · NAVA News

By DAVID HEATHA moth-eaten rag on a worm-eaten pole

It does not look likely to stir a man's soul,'Tis the deeds that were done 'neath the moth-eaten rag,

When the pole was a staff, and the rag was a flag.Sir Edward B. Hamley

But how does the sight of a mouldering flaghanging forlornly in the corner of a classroomstir the souls of students separated from suchdeeds by time, geography, culture, and lan-guage?

I teach history in an international school inChina’s capital; most of the students are Asian,foreign nationals, and learning in English as asecond language. I focus on ensuring mystudents feel history and not just to articulateit—a key means is through flags.

The most immediate use of flags is as anensemble; the veritable onslaught of colour inmy classroom creates an immediate reactionfrom students (and parents!). The back wall isa riot of red, made up of communist flags fromall over. Red is such a powerful symbol—nomatter the weather or environment, it sticksout. Blowing in the wind on a pole outside theclass, the country’s flag reminds students ofwhat it had to overcome, what it has achieved,and what it stands for.

Some flags illustrate specific points in les-sons. The junks in the badge of the old colonialflag of Hong Kong, with the Chinese dragonlosing the Pearl of the Orient to the British lion,recall the “national humiliation” that saw thefirst of the unequal treaties signed at Nankingin 1842. The bright red maple leaf is used toexplain to students the legacy the Battle ofVimy Ridge continues to exert on Canadians.

The dozens of ensigns that once representedthe nations of the British Empire but today arelong forgotten, suggest the vagaries of time andhuman ambition, whilst the hammers and sick-les throughout illustrate the idea of communi-ties over countries. And yet if studying historyis little more than reflecting on “the register ofcrimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind”, inChina it can be a state crime. Unlike othersubjects, history offers students a taste of theforbidden where even possessing a Tibetan flagor that of Nationalist China is illegal. Theresult is a level of engaging discussion which,with flags, studentscan follow visually.

For example, onestudent immediatelynoticed in a Chinesepropaganda posterhow the five peopleshown seem to repre-sent the stars on theChinese flag, with thelargest (representingthe Communist Party)in the middle sur-rounded by smallerpeople representingthe various groups insociety.

This is the type of analysis I hope studentscan demonstrate by the end of my course. Agirl in my Grade 11 class recently noted howthe key symbols shown in a Nazi poster werethe very ones adopted for the state flag (sus-pended above her) of the Communist regimethat replaced it.

Through the use of visual stimulus, my stu-dents and I engage in adiscussion of ideologythat transcended any-thing we could havehoped for through asimple reading of thetext.

Flags provide otherstimuli besides colourand their symbols.Nearly all my flags arevintage, individually-sewn pieces of fabricslowly falling apart,which once represented

Teaching with Flags inBeijing, China


nations but today register little more than idlecuriosity. Compared to cheap, printed, mass-produced flags, the seams and stitches of suchold flags add an extra dimension to my classwhich gives students a subconscious awarenessof the traditions and history that went intomaking such symbols. The musty smell of theheavy fabric adds weight to the history I’mteaching, providing, I hope, the same feeling ofwonder one gets by looking at old standardshanging alone in the corner of some oldchurch.

On a more deeply personal level, flags pro-vide a valuable personal connection for ourstudents—our reception area (shown aboveright) displays the over forty flags representingtheir various nationalities. With most of ourstudents coming from outside of China, theyencounter difficulties in everything fromunderstanding enrolment information, gettingto the school from the dorm, where to buy theiruniform, the books needed, and so on. Manyare in China for the first time and besides hav-ing to re-establish their support network andstatus in their peer group, they are forced to

manage their own learning whilst possiblybeing placed in classes at an inappropriatelevel. Over half our seniors come from SouthKorea—all too aware of the constant threatposed to their country, seeing their flag in myclassroom provides a crucial point of reference.Often students who are not even taking myclasses visit my classroom to marvel at the oldSoviet Kazakhstan flag or to remind themselvesof their home in Africa while living in a societythey find particularly threatening and unwel-coming.

I am grateful to have worked for the pasteight years at a school that has allowed me tomake the fullest use of my passion for flags,allowing me to use them in delivering my les-sons. Every year has seen a bit more added tomy classroom by students who have felt a partof it and contributed flags, pennants, or ban-ners.

David Heath, a native of Canada, wrote this essayin his last month as the IBDP Coordinator and Humanities Head

at the Beijing World Youth Academy, Wangjing Campus;he has recently relocated to Germany, taking his flags with him

to the Bavarian International School.


BETSY ROSS AND THE

MAKING OF AMERICA

Marla L. MillerHenry Holt (2010), 480 pagesISBN: 978-0-8050-8297-5

BOOK REVIEW

The Meaningful Life ofOne American Woman

BY SCOT GUENTER

Old-time NAVA meeting attendeescan recall strident debates about theinitial design of the U.S. flag, onefaction taking umbrage at any ques-tioning of the veracity of the BetsyRoss legend while another arguingfor a deeper appreciation of the con-tributions of Francis Hopkinson.

Well, here we have a thoroughlyresearched inquiry into the life of BetsyRoss—at 480 pages certainly the mostexhaustive and penetrating such study everattempted—that wisely foregoes any temp-tation to reduce its probing into a “did sheor didn’t she?” reductionism. Notice theconjunction in the title: the book is asmuch about the making of America as anew nation as it is about Betsy Ross; it usesa review of her life to offer us well-ground-ed appreciation of what it was like to be afemale upholsterer, a three-time widow, thematriarch of a growing clan, and a FreeQuaker in a colonial Philadelphia whichgave way after the Revolution to being theyoung republic’s capital from 1790 to 1800even as the rumblings of industrializationand national expansion were significantlychanging the world in which she lived.

The author is an associate professor ofhistory at University of Massachusetts,Amherst. Her 2006 book, The Needle’s Eye:Women and Work in the Age of Revolution,established her as a leading authority onthe daily life and professional regimen ofcraft workers (such as Betsy Ross) in theeighteenth century. She has read the writ-ings of several NAVA members and drawsupon their expertise and groundwork,among them Henry W. Moeller, DavidMartucci, and Whitney Smith.

I welcome this bookand enjoyed it verymuch. The footnotesare meticulous; theprose style is confi-dent, smooth, elegant.Read it all if you value

understanding how flags connect us to andthrough a wide range of larger culturalforces. For those who lack the time oropportunity to savor all this biography hasto offer, let me point you to the most crucialsections of this work for those solely inter-ested in flags.

The Prologue sets the tone by juxtapos-ing contemporary auctions for 18th centuryflags with a reflection on why one shouldstudy Betsy Ross. Chapter 10, “CraftingColors”, explains how flags were made andused in that society, distinctions betweendifferent types of flags, and the significanceof the two great matriarchal lines of flagmakers of that period: Betsy Ross andRebecca Young. Chapter 11, “Signals ofIndependence”, walks us through what weknow Betsy was doing related to flag designand flag production during the time frameof the apocryphal encounter(s) with GeorgeWashington. The Epilogue reviews thepassing of the Ross tradition throughdaughter Clarissa to grandson William J.Canby, noted for his 1870 address on thesubject, and the subsequent promotion andpermutation of the Ross legend down to thepresent day.

Scot M. Guenter is a professor of American studies at SanJosé State University and the author of The American Flag1777-1924: Cultural Shifts from Creation to Codification.

Contact Scot Guenter: [email protected]


Mystery FlagDave Martucciwrites that this flag,shown in the lastissue, “is a form ofbunting, commonlycalled ‘flats’ whichare still used fordecorating, espe-cially in situations where the various piecesof bunting are gathered into fans or similardisplays below a bar or stick. A short piecelike this one would serve very well as acorner fan.”

Write [email protected] to send us yourmystery flags.

Flags (in 100 words)

Modern-day flags have been the popularsymbols with which to differentiate nations,states, provinces, cities, counties, and morefor a thousand years or so. The first clothbanner flags were made in ancient Chinaroughly 5,000 years ago, but they're stillimportant, making them one of the mostfamous ancient inventions. They are alsomuch more internationally relevant thannational seals, and most flags are verydurable. They can be famous (and infa-mous), or known only to a hundred peopleor less. But no matter what, they can unitelarge groups of people under any circum-stances, making them very unique.

Ryan James, a 6th-graderin Salt Lake City, Utah, has“been flag-crazed for aslong as my family canremember”. He recentlystarted a year-long schoolstudy and report project on“international flags andvexillology” with thisrequired paragraph ofexactly 100 words.

NEW FLAGS

Finchfield, EnglandFinchfield, a small village near the city ofWolverhampton in West Midlands, England,recently chose a flag in a process led byPhilip Stephen Tibbetts. Consulting withthe Flag Institute and using NAVA’s Good

Flag, Bad Flag, hetaught children (andtheir families) of theprinciples of flagdesign, narrowedthe submissionsdown, and used theresulting visual andthematic ideas tocreate four designsfor the CommunityAssociation’sapproval (seephoto). Then the

public voted among the four, choosing thewinner.

On the flag, three goldfinches representthe birds that help give the town its nameand are placed on the left to show theirimportance. Yellow represents the tradi-tional farmers’ fields of old and green rep-resents the modern parks and environmentcenter, and together are the colors of thelocal schools. The patterned line recalls theagriculture that has been always beenimportant to the town and shows how thepast (yellow) and present (green) connect.


Lesser-Known Symbols ofMinor U.S. Possessions Part 2. Pacific Ocean—Midway

BY ROMAN KLIMEŠ

Beyond its more widely-known possessions(Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam,American Samoa, and the Northern Marianas)the United States of America also has jurisdic-tion over several small islands in the Pacificand the Caribbean, including the U.S. navalbase at Guantánamo Bay. Each has a vexillo-logical history.

MIDWAY ISLAND

Midway Island, located in the North PacificOcean about one-third of the way betweenHonolulu and Tokyo (and “midway” betweenNorth American and Asia), is an unorganizedunincorporated territory of the United States.It consists of a ring-shaped barrier reef andseveral sand islets with a total area of 6.2 sq.km. The two largest islets, Sand Island andEastern Island, provide habitat for millions ofseabirds.

The island was discovered 5 July 1859 byCaptain N. C. Middlebrooks and claimed for theU.S. under the Guano Islands Act of 1856. Theislands became the Unincorporated Territory ofMidway Island, administered by the UnitedStates Navy. In 1871 attempts at establishing acoaling station failed; a trans-Pacific cable sta-tion opened there in 1903 along with a radiostation; soon afterwards U.S. Marines were sta-tioned on the islands to protect the station, endwanton destruction of bird life, and keepMidway safe as a U.S. possession.

As the Second World War approached, NavalAir Station Midway was established withairstrips, gun emplacements, and a seaplanebase. On 4 June 1942 the U.S. Navy defeatedthe Japanese Navy in the Battle of Midwaynearby, which began to turn the tide of thePacific War. Also an important submarine base,Midway was occupied by U.S. military forces1941-45, and through the Korean War (1950-53)and Vietnam War (1964-73). In 1978 the Navydowngraded Midway to a Naval Air Facility andmost personnel left the islands.

On 22 April 1988, while still under the pri-mary jurisdiction of the Navy, Midway was des-ignated an “overlay” National Wildlife Refuge.On 31 October 1996 Executive Order 13022transferred jurisdiction and control to the U.S.Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service assumed management of theMidway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.

On 4 June 2000 the staff at the refugeunveiled the territory’s first flag on the 58thanniversary of the Battle of Midway.

The flag, designed by F&WS staffer SteveDryden, comprises three horizontal stripes oflight blue, white, and turquoise blue in propor-tions of 28:3:14. In the upper blue stripe flies aLaysan albatross in white with black wings anda peach-colored bill. Its overall proportions are5:9.1 The flag was manufactured by NationalCapital Flag. Inc. of Alexandria, Virginia.

The colors of the flag reflect the natural ele-ments of Midway Atoll—the clear blue skies,white sandy beaches, and the turquoise watersof the surrounding lagoon. The Laysan alba-tross (Phoebastria immutabilis), the beloved“gooney bird” of Midway, represents Midway’scommitment to wildlife management and sym-bolizes the brave men and women who gave ofthemselves during the Battle of Midway. Thenew flag “salutes the spirit of the Americanpeople and the spirit of nature that inspires usall”.2 Midway hosts the largest colony of thesebirds in the world (about 70% of all Laysanalbatrosses live on Midway)—nearly 400,000.

1 Leaflet “Midway Atoll unveils its new Territorial Flag”.Official sources from Midway.2 Information leaflet compiled by Skip Wheeler, Hawaii,sent with a letter to the author, 22 February 2002.


These flags are among the most impor-tant vexillological artifacts in the UnitedStates, and this will be a rare opportunity tosee all of them in one place. The CBFA(Chesapeake Bay Flag Association) hopesto organize a visit to the exhibit in earlyDecember, and will provide a report in afuture NAVA News. Meanwhile, moreinformation is available on the Winterthurwebsite by visiting:www.winterthur.org.

Close-up of the Clarissa Wilsonflag being conserved at

Winterthur.

Winterthur conservator Mandy Holden, with the silk flag believedto have been made by Clarissa Wilson, daughter of Betsy Ross.According to the Winterthur newsletter: “[The flag] arrived in thelab in hundreds of pieces. Conservators have stabilized this objectby piecing it back together and encasing the reassembled flagbetween two pieces of custom-dyed semi-transparent fabric. Theend result is a flag that looks relatively complete again but is stillconstructed of only original material.”

Regimental color of the3rd Virginia Detachment,captured by the British at

Waxhaws, NorthCarolina in 1780.

This flag was listed in thefamous “Gostelowe

Return” in 1778.

• The three colors of the 3rd VirginiaDetachment, captured by British ColonelBanastre Tarleton during the Revolutionary Warbattle of Waxhaws (see NAVA News 188 & 189for details on the flags).• The standard of Sheldon’s Horse, 2ndRegiment, Connecticut Light Dragoons, cap-tured at Pound Ridge in 1779 (also featured inNAVA News 188 & 189).• The “Markoe Standard” of the PhiladelphiaLight Horse.• The blue-and-white flag said to have beenGeorge Washington’s standard as commander-in-chief.• An Indian presentation flag from the early1800s.• A restored silk U.S. flag believed to have beenmade by Betsy Ross’s daughter, Clarissa Wilson.This flag is on loan from the Betsy Ross Housein Philadelphia, and was conserved by theWinterthur staff.

Historic Flags at WinterthurThe historic Winterthur Museum &Country Estate, located near Wilmington,Delaware, is home to one of the world’sfinest collections of American decorativearts. From 2 Oct. 2010 to 2 Jan. 2011,Winterthur will present a special exhibit:“Betsy Ross: The Life Behind the Legend”.

Dr. Marla Miller, whose biography ofBetsy Ross is reviewed on page 5, willcurate the exhibit, along museum staffersLinda Eaton and Katie Knowles.

The exhibit will feature artifacts relatedto Betsy’s life and work. It will also includeseveral important historic flags, including:

Special thanks to Holly Victor, communications manager of theWinterthur Museum & Country Estate, for the information & photos.


Uncanny FlagCoincidencesBY CHRISTOPHER MADDISH

Have you ever noticed that some flags seem tohave look-alikes? Perhaps this is simply arandom coincidence or maybe it’s a new meta-vexillological concept. Take the flags of Texasand North Carolina—with their field division,colors, and star; or Kansas and Montana withtheir seal, blue field, and state name. Howabout Pennsylvania and Michigan—both bear-ing ungulates—one domesticated, one wild?Even with Canada you can pair up Manitobawith Ontario, or Yukon with NorthwestTerritories. We can’t go through them all rightnow, so this article will focus on the flag-pairsamong the sub-national flags of Australia.

There are eight federal subjects inAustralia: six states and two territories. All sixstates have British Blue Ensigns, each distin-guished with a unique badge; the two territorialflags depart from the traditional blue ensignyet conserve the Southern Cross.

Western Australia and South Australia makea match since both badges have yellow discswith a bird cast in black—a swan for WesternAustralia and a piping shrike for SouthAustralia. Another (non-flag) alignmentappears in the subtle congruence in theirnames—both indicate a cardinal direction.

Next is Queensland and Victoria. Theirprimary congruence is the royal crown.

Another harmonious element is found withtheir crosses. Queensland’s badge has a sky-blue Maltese Cross while Victoria has theSouthern Cross constellation. Another (non-flag) alignment appears in their names. Theyboth reflect the British sovereign at the time oftheir genesis—Queen Victoria. It is likely thatthe elected person or body responsible for theflags was fully cognizant of this intentionalhonor. However the ‘accidental’ crown-to-crown and cross-to-cross connection likelyoccurred without conscious intent. Finally, bothstates were created under Queen Victoria’sreign and Australia itself was federated underQueen Victoria on 1 January 1901.

New South Wales and Tasmania form a pair.Both employ white discs. Their critical congru-ent elements are the lions. New South Walesuses the traditional heraldic English lion whileTasmania has a red lion. Furthermore the flagof New South Wales uses the Cross of St.George, denoting a connection to England.Likewise the flag of Tasmania denotes a con-nection to Wales.

Finally, the flags of Northern Territory andthe Australian Capital Territory pair up. Thedivided halves coincidentally reflect thedichotomy of heaven and earth. The left-hoistsides contain the ever-so-repeated and belovedconstellation of the Southern Cross; their back-ground colors recall the night sky: black anddark blue. The right-fly sides use earthy colors:a yellowish-orange and a shade of brown (forthe Great Australian Outback).


So if flags actually come in a peculiar typeof twosome, then we might ask: how does thishappen? We can dismiss the idea of somesecret shadow group manipulating the processof flag creation. A more sensible theory wouldinvolve some intuitive subconscious biastowards symmetrical relationships.

The perception of this certain kind of sym-metry is dependent on time. In 1876 it wouldhave been impossible to notice such a peculiaralignment with the flags of Australia simplybecause only half the states were vexilliferous.But by 1993 all eight federal subjects had flags.

The notion that a flag has a specific sib-ling—dictated by the subjective and intuitivecriteria that ‘it just looks like some other flag’—might seem extreme and half-baked.Nonetheless, the theory that the continentsmay have been joined together as a super-con-tinent because they ‘look like the pieces of apuzzle’ was initially treated with ridicule andscorn until matching fossils and geologic soilsacross the world gave the ‘pieces-of-the-puzzlecontinent idea’ a solid grounding. AlfredWegener first proposed the idea of continentaldrift in 1912 but not until the 1950s was hisidea accepted.

So what? Flags look like other flags—ithappens…a lot. The Australian flag looks justlike the flag of the Cayman Islands; the flag ofIowa looks like the flag of France. So does thatmean there is some sort of ‘cosmic connection’between Iowa and France? One can argue thatany flag looks like another. It’s all a matter ofperspective. But for flag redundancy across theworld as is the case with Iowa and France, thiscomplexity is kept in check by limiting thesubset of flags allowed to partner up. For thisarticle the sub-national flags of Australia pairup only with other Australian flags. Thus theCayman Islands’ flag is excluded.

These uncanny comparisons lead one toquestion whether this phenomenon arises inother nations. Can a similar arrangement ofsub-national flag pairings be discerned withthe sub-national flags of Canada or some othernation? Let’s continue the conversation!

Chris Maddish teaches high-school biology in Pennsylvania.Concepts contained in this paper were presented at NAVA 43 in

Charleston, S.C. and 23 ICV in Yokohama in 2009.You can learn more about Chris's Flag Symmetry Concept on his blog

http://zebratigerfish.blogspot.com/ Contact Chris: [email protected]

NAVA “Publishes” 9 ICV Proceedings

NAVA hosted the 9th International Congress of Vexillology, heldjointly with NAVA 15, in Ottawa, Ontario in 1981.

In that era, ICVs did not always publish their proceedings as aformal compilation. Rather, papers might be published individual-ly, generally in the Flag Bulletin (recognized by FIAV for the publi-cation of scholarly articles relating to vexillology).

FIAV has recently worked to ensure publication of all paperspresented at past ICVs; as the host, NAVA is addressing those of9 ICV by listing them on its website and offering pdf versions ofthose not published elsewhere.

PUBLISHEDTeodoro Amerlinck, 'The principal insignias of Mexico'.

Appeared in FB 97 pp. 204–16Francois Beaudoin, 'Le Quebec du point du vue vexillologique'.

Appeared in FB 107 pp. 149–63George F. Cahill, '"One hundred years ago"'.

Appeared in NAVA News Fall 1981 p. 11Robert Common, 'University banners of Lord Grey'.

Appeared in FB 174 pp. 72–86James Croft, 'Civic flags of South Africa'.

Appeared in FB 173 pp. 7–16Robert Gauron, 'Flags in national anthems'.

Appeared in FB 124 pp. 24–36Emmet V. Mittlebeeler, 'Stars in vexillology and heraldry'.

Appeared in FB 100 pp. 119–31Martin J. O'Malley, 'A vexillological analysis of the colour green'.

Appeared in FB 94 pp. 93–107Woody Ridgway, 'Flags in sports'.

Appeared in abstract in NAVA News May/June 1988 p. 5Whitney Smith, 'The rainbow as a flag symbol'.

Appeared in revised form in FB 125 pp. 46–68Alfred Znamierowski, 'Characteristics of US civic flags'.

Appeared in FB 173 pp. 23–45

NOT YET PUBLISHEDDan Cernovodeanu, 'L'evolution du drapeau tricolore roumain

de 1834–1881'.William Crampton, 'Jonathan Turmile's colour book'.Franz Kaindl, 'Das Standartenbild zur Zeit Maria Theresias'.Robert Kidd, 'State, County and City flags of Michigan'.W. E. Milton & R. Y. Matsui, 'Silk screen progress in Canada'.David Phillips, 'Proposed new Belgian royal standards'.Klaes Sierksma, 'Les sources neerlandaises pour M. A. le Gras

et son "Album des pavillons" 1858'.V. A. Sokolov, 'Flag and coat of the arms of the Armenian

Republic'.Auguste Vachon, 'Flags of Canada'.

NAVA asks anyone in the vexillological community who may havea copy of one of the not-yet-published papers, or is aware of itspublication, to contact [email protected].


NAVA News wants your articlesand other vexi-news from aroundNorth AmericaNearly all of the content of NAVA News comprises contributionsfrom NAVA members and others in the vexi-community. We’re always looking for short articles, news about members’vexillological activities, photos, pictures, and descriptions of newand interesting flags, etc. If you’d like to submit an item for publi-cation, contact the editor, Peter Ansoff, at [email protected] publication schedule is:

Deadline for ApproximateIssue No. Submissions “In the Mail” Date208 30 September . 20 December 2010209 31 January . . . 20 March 2011210 30 April . . . . . . 20 June 2011211 31 July . . . . . . 20 September 2011

Don't wait—get started now on that article you’ve beenmeaning to write!

NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OFNAVA AND PROPOSED SLATES OF NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERSAND OFFICERS FOR 2010-11

In accordance with Resolution of the Executive Boardpursuant to §4.01 of the Bylaws establishing the place,day, and hour of the annual meeting of the votingmembers of the Association,

NOTICE IS HEREBY DELIVERED to all voting andnonvoting members of the Association in accordancewith §4.04 of the Bylaws of the North AmericanVexillological Association that the annual meeting ofthe voting members of the Association shall be onSunday, 10 October 2010 at 9:00 AM, at the HiltonGarden Inn—Arcadia/Pasadena, 199 N. 2nd Ave.,Arcadia, California.

NOTICE IS FURTHER DELIVERED by the ExecutiveBoard that the following proposed slate of nominatingcommittee members for 2010-11 is presented:

Peter Ansoff, Jack Lowe, and Pete Van de Putte.

NOTICE IS FURTHER DELIVERED by the NominatingCommittee that the following proposed slate of officersfor 2010-11 is presented:

President: Hugh L. BradyFirst Vice President: Gustavo TracchiaSecond Vice President: Anne M. PlatoffSecretary: William J. TrinkleTreasurer: Edward B. Kaye

William J. TrinkleSecretary, North American Vexillological Association

NAVA’s Grant ProgramsThe Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. Grant for Research in Vexillology supports original research in variousaspects of flag design and usage. NAVA gives this $250 grant on an occasional basis NAVA to individualspursuing research which advances vexillological knowledge in North America.NAVA actively promotes conservation, preservation, and restoration of historic flags by raisingand granting funds for museums and other repositories, and by lending its name in support ofthese efforts, through the Grace Rogers Cooper Flag Conservation Grant of $250–$500. See “Grants” at www.nava.org for more details.

NAVA DatabaseTo access information about fellow NAVA mem-bers, or to update your NAVA member profile—address, phone, e-mail, flag interests, personalflag, and e-mail preferences—visit the MembersOnly section of the NAVA website. Click on“Edit My Profile” and update any informationlisted there.

NAVA members need a password.To receive or renew your password:1) Go to http://members.nava.org or

Go to NAVA.org and click on “Member Login”.2) Enter your member number in the “Member

ID” box (it’s on your mailing label).3) Click on “Forgot Password?” and an e-mail with

your new password will be sent to the emailaddress on record.

E-mail Shane Sievers, NAVA webmaster, at [email protected] with any questions.


CHUMLEY THE VEXI-GORILLA

NAVA ClassifiedsUnusual collection of flag information and historical flags. TheFlag Guys® www.flagguys.com FREE catalog. 845-562-0088283 Windsor Hwy., New Windsor, NY 12553.

Chumley the Vexi-Gorilla™is the creation of Michael Faul,editor of Flagmaster, the distin-guished journal of the FlagInstitute in the UnitedKingdom. To a field not oftenblessed with humor’s grace, Mr.Faul brings a delightfully lighttouch, deep vexillological roots,and sparkling whimsy.

NAVA News is reprinting some vintageChumley flags that previously appearedin black-and-white.

MEMBER FLAG

Denoting 15 Generations

Alex was born a member of the Tang family in1979. He is “Chinamerican”, a Chinese byblood, Vietnamese by birth, American by choice,and Texan by right.

His flag has a ratio of 2:3. The diameter ofthe logo is 1/3 of the flag length. The logo is amodified initial “Q” symbolizing the 15th gener-ation of Tang ancestry. It is also composed of astylized letter G and a centered letter C thatstands for GOOD HEALTH CREATES WEALTH.

Yellow represents maleness in the Tang familyand red depicts Alex’s passion for the Tang iden-tity. Both colors are RGB values in which yellowis 255-255-0 and red is 255-0-0.

Alex has ownership of this flag. It is alwayswith him. It shall display in his presence andretrieve in his absence where applicable.

Flag of Alex Tang, Houston, Texas

Members are encouraged to send in their personal flag designs for inclusion inthe NAVA Member Flag Registry. Send your photos, drawings, and descrip-tions to [email protected], or mail to: Member Flag Registry,1977 N Olden Ave Ext PMB 225, Trenton NJ 08618-2193 USA, or post themdirectly to the Member Database.

Whose Broad Stripes and BrightStars: The U.S. Flag ThroughHistory, an exhibition of 100+historical American flags andrelated artifacts, runs at PolkPresidential Hall in Columbia,Tenn., 2 July–31 October 2010.


North AmericanVexillological Association1977 N. Olden Ave. Ext. PMB 225Trenton NJ 08618-2193 USA

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

The 24 ICV FlagThe Flag Selection Committee of the Washington Flag Congress has chosen a flag for the 24th InternationalCongress of Vexillology (also NAVA 45), which will be sponsored by NAVA with the Chesapeake Bay FlagAssociation in Washington, D.C. 1-5 August 2011.

The design of the Congress flag was selected from among 27 proposals submitted by interested vexillogra-phers, and modified slightly by the selection committee. The white stars on blue and the red stars on white echothe flags of the host nation and city—the United States and Washington, D.C. , while the 24 stars signify the

twenty-fourth ICV. The blue-and-white and thequartered design also recall the state flags of Virginiaand Maryland, the two states bordering the District ofColumbia.

The design was created by Tony Burton, of NewSouth Wales, Australia, a member of the Flag Societyof Australia and the editor of its journal, Crux Australis.Mr. Burton's original design showed gold stars in theblue quarters. While the original blue-and-gold motifsuggested the colors of the FIAV flag, the committeefelt that there should be a stronger reference to thehost nation.

Coincidentally, the concept of the 24 ICV flag is similar to the one used for 14 ICV in Barcelona in 1991, exactly20 years earlier. However, the use of the stars instead of numerals to represent the number of the ICV creates anadditional symbolic link between the ICV and the host nation and city.

The Flag Selection Committee comprised former NAVA president Peter Ansoff (chair) and Baron Fain, JohnPurcell, and Cindy Williams, who thank Peggy Rose for rendering the design in vector format, and all the vexillog-raphers who submitted outstanding designs.

no. 207 julynava september 2010 canadian...

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