The flag of Oaxaca is a white canvas where the image of the coat of arms of Oaxaca is reflected. This state does not have an official flag, so they resort to the use of the shield as their banner.
The shield on the Oaxaca flag was designed between 1947 and 1950 by Alfredo Canseco Feraud. In this, elements linked to the tradition of the pre-Hispanic cultures of that state are inserted.
It is common in various departments of Mexico that their shields are also their flags. Even in the flag of Mexico, created in 1968, the shield constitutes the main element.
You may also be interested in the coat of arms of Oaxaca.
History and description
The coat of arms of the Oaxaca flag was created by order of Governor Eduardo Vasconcelos. The choice of the designer was through a contest that Alfredo Canseco Feraud won.
It is a red canvas that symbolizes the struggles of the Oaxacan people. On this there is an oval with the motto "Respect for the rights of others is peace."
We can also see the arms of a man breaking the chains, the place name "huaxyacac" with the flower, the fruit of the huaje tree, and one of the palaces of Mitla, accompanied by a Dominican cross.
In addition to this oval there are seven stars that refer to the number of regions in that state.
At the top is the coat of arms of Mexico, and at the bottom appears the proclamation: "Free and sovereign state of Oaxaca."
Meaning
In the presentation of his project for the creation of the coat of arms of Oaxaca, Alfredo Canseco Feraud exposed the iconography and iconology contained in this new coat of arms. From there the following considerations are made:
The blood red color of the canvas is related to the struggles of the Oaxacans. And the motto "Respect for the rights of others is peace" is in honor of Benito Juárez, one of the most emblematic characters born in Oaxaca.
Broken chains are a symbol of the end of slavery and oppression. For its part, the illustration that refers to the name "huaxyacac" was created in tribute to the Mexica, an indigenous people settled in the region in the 15th century.
In an exact translation of the Nahuatl language, the name "huaxyacac" means "on the tip or on the nose of a huaje."
The Mitla Palace symbolizes Oaxaca's links with rich and prosperous cultures that inhabited the region for centuries.
The Dominican cross appears in reference to the Dominican order. These were in charge for centuries not only of evangelization and education, but also much of the architecture of the region was erected by them.
Finally, the seven stars are read as the areas contained in this state: the cañada, the Mixteca, the sierra, the coast, the central valleys, the isthmus and Tuxtepec.
References
- Terraciano, K. (2001). The mixtecs of colonial Oaxaca. Los Angeles: Stanford University Press. Retrieved on November 6, 2017 from: books.google.es
- Coat of arms of Oaxaca. Retrieved on November 6, 2017 from: books.google.es
- Ramírez, A. (sf). Legends of Oaxaca. Journal of the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. Retrieved on November 6, 2017 from: magazines.upb.edu.co
- Orozco, F. (1933). The primitive coat of arms of Oaxaca. Oaxaca: Mexican Congress of History. Retrieved on November 6, 2017 from: books.google.es
- Chamomile, L; López, L. (2000). Mexico history. Mexico DF: INAH. Retrieved on November 6, 2017 from: books.google.es