![]() The Rastafari colours of green, gold and red are very commonly displayed on the Rastafarian flag. Thus, this flag intended to serve as a symbol for people of black African descent worldwide. Vinton Plummer, director of the UNIA’s Bureau of Publicity and Propaganda, stated: “The Red is emblematical of the richness of the blood the Black symbolizes the millions of Negroes scattered throughout the globe the Green is designed to keep before the mind’s eye Africa’s verdant fields”. As a result, the red/black/green colour scheme was adopted by African countries such as Kenya and Malawi. However, by that time the red/black/green flag was already an established and recognized flag, and so it was not changed. When creating the “African American” flag, it is said that Marcus Garvey thought he was using the Ethiopian colours, and later became aware of his mistake at the time of Haile Selassie’s coronation. Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) aiming to unite the African diaspora to “establish a country and absolute government of their own.” His work is what later inspired others such as Malcolm X, and the Rastafari movement. His Pan-African philosophy inspired a mass movement, known as Garveyism. Marcus Garvey was a spokesman for Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanist movements in America. The colours Red Black and Green are also often associated with the Pan African colours, due to individuals such as Macus Garvey. ![]() The green represents fertility of land, yellow represents the harmony between ethnic and relegious groups, and red represents the lives sacrificed and blood spilled in the defence of national honour. The current flag consists of a yellow pentagram radiating rays of light on a blue circle. The People’s Democratic Republic government (1987-91) later added its coat of arms on the flag. The Derg regime (1975-87) used the plain tri-colour. The crowned lion carrying a cross illustrates the link between the Ethiopian church, the peoples, and its unity. During the Solomonic Empire it carried the Lion of Judah across its midsection. The emblems on the Ethiopian flag have changed over time. Several Caribbean countries that gained independence during the 1960s and 70s also adopted the Pan-African colours in their national flags. (Scroll down for more on Marcus Garvey and the UNIA). ![]() President Kwame Nkrumah also added a black star to the central stripe of the flag, symbolising the UNIA’s Black Star Line. Ghana was the first African country to adopt the Ethiopian colours, only inverting the order to avoid confusion. Addis Ababa became headquarters of several international organisations, being one of only four African members of the League of Nations, and a founding member of the UN. After having gained independence from colonial rule, newly established African countries adopted the colours of Ethiopia’s flag, as a sign of solidarity towards its resistance against colonial occupation. Ever wondered why so many national flags include the colours green/yellow/red? During the Scramble for Africa, Ethiopia was the only African country other than Liberia that retained its sovereignty as a recognized independent country. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |