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Brazilian Culture: History and Meaning of the Brazilian Flag

Brazilian Culture: History and Meaning of the Brazilian Flag

posted on August 11, 2014

Brazilflags-blog

The Brazilian flag has gone through many iterations. Since Brazil was an empire (1822 – 1889), the flag has consisted of a green field, with a yellow diamond in the middle (only this previous version had a coat of arms in the center). By 1889, when Brazil became a republic, the flag changed along with it, but this time by adding a blue circle on a starry sky with a curved band over it (containing the national motto).

The first republican flag was heavily inspired by the US flag but it was short-lived since another, better design was proposed. Eventually though, the states of Goiás, Piauí and Sergipe adopted versions of the US-inspired Brazilian flag and they still fly them today. Even São Paulo’s actual flag was also nixed as a possible national flag.

Colors

It’s written everywhere that the colors green, blue and yellow represent the forests, sky and gold (the white is supposed to be peace). While this could be perfectly true, I adhere to an alternate explanation, that the main colors of green and yellow are representative of the joining of the Braganza (Dom Pedro I) and Hapsburg (Dona Leopoldina) Houses.

Stars

Since the current flag was chosen, it’s had the smallest of alterations concerning the adding of stars which, while being parts of actual constellations, also represent the 26 federal states and 1 federal district. Apparently, the formation was based on the sky over Rio de Janeiro at the moment of proclamation, and they are placed as if Rio is being observed from far out in space.

flag-stars-states

Motto

The motto, or lema in Portuguese, of Ordem e Progresso (Order and Progress) came from positivist French philosopher Auguste Comte, of whom the overthrowers of the monarchy were fans. Comte’s whole motto was “Love as a principle and order as the basis; Progress as the goal” (I’m imagining the flag today with “Amor e Progresso”. Hey, why not?).

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  • 5 Brazilian Rock Bands that You Need to Know
  • Pronunciation of Words ending in IA in Portuguese

About Adam Lee

Adam is a writer and a researcher who has studied Brazilian culture for over a decade and created several Brazil-themed blogs going back to 2008. Having taught himself Portuguese, he put it to practical use by spending three years doing Brazil on a budget (and living in favelas), from Rio de Janeiro to the Amazon.

He now resides in Lisbon, Portugal, developing a startup and dreaming about having a beachside B&B in the Northeast of Brazil.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Donna

    August 7, 2016 at 7:39 pm

    The “lonely star”, the only one above the banner, is Spica…? WHY?

    Reply
    • brali foster

      October 13, 2016 at 7:36 am

      same here

      Reply
    • Vasu Silva

      October 12, 2018 at 10:36 am

      If you wish to know why those in power chose spica, look at other nations who are also free mason and used the stars to align buildings and shrines. The entire area of Washington DC (USA) was geometrically aligned to the stars. Spica being one.

      At the founding of the Capitol building Sept. 18, 1793, the sun and Mercury were in the constellation of Virgo. This ceremony is enshrined on the Senate bronze doors.
      One door shows a plate of George Washington, wearing a white satin Masonic apron, using a trowel to lay the cornerstone. The apron, which can be viewed at the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, shows American and French flags, a gavel and a triangle symbolizing a universal deity surrounded by stars.

      The chances of the correspondence being mere coincidence are so remote that we must assume that whoever was directing the planning of Washington, D.C., not only had a considerable knowledge of astrology, but had a vested interest in emphasizing the role of the sign Virgo,” Mr. Ovason wrote.

      Reply
  2. sekhar reddy

    February 7, 2016 at 8:59 am

    How aryou this isverynice

    Reply
  3. Luciana Lage

    September 10, 2014 at 3:13 pm

    Hi Namia,

    Obrigada por ler e comentar!

    I am Brazilian too, and like you I thought that the lonely star was the Distrito Federal. But there is plenty of literature saying it is Pará. Here are some different sources:

    Observatório Astronômico da UFMG
    http://www.observatorio.ufmg.br/pas12.htm

    Brasil Escola:
    http://www.brasilescola.com/brasil/significado-das-estrelas.htm

    From Klick Educação:
    http://www.klickeducacao.com.br/bcoresp/bcoresp_mostra/0,6674,POR-969-4593-h,00.html

    Reply
  4. Namia

    September 10, 2014 at 9:37 am

    Hi Adam,

    Your article is pretty good. Thanks for writing it about Brazil. But as a Brazilian I couldn’t notice. The Big lonely star in the top actually represents the Federal District and not Para.

    Hope that help.

    Namia

    Reply

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