Weekly Flag Challenge: Discussion & Entries
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Just to reiterate in case the wording of the OP wasn't clear, the challenge is meant to be about countries or sub-national entities which exist in our world, not alternate version of them. People are free to present them as future flags or to fudge minor historical details to explain why their entries was adopted instead of the ones we have OTL but having a different political system is a bit beyond this.
Many countries have national flowers which have never really been represented any other ways than in a naturalistic fashion. The point of the challenge then is to find ways to integrate them in a flag in a somewhat pleasing manner. In my mind, the interesting part would, for example, in creating a good design for OTL's scotland flag containing a thisle rather than creating a timeline with a manchukuo dominated china so that you could use the orchid.
A slightly pants one:
Republic of Estonia
During Soviet domination the cornflower symbol gains stronger popular support such that when Restoration of Independence is declared there is a strong demand for the Cornflower to replace the National Arms. While this is not successful the symbol does gain popular support for placement on the flag. Of the versions of the flag up for debate the simple tricolour with cornflower wins out, however strong showing of Nordic style crosses places the symbol further to the hoist than would otherwise be (ie the centrepoint of a Nordic cross).
Republic of Estonia
During Soviet domination the cornflower symbol gains stronger popular support such that when Restoration of Independence is declared there is a strong demand for the Cornflower to replace the National Arms. While this is not successful the symbol does gain popular support for placement on the flag. Of the versions of the flag up for debate the simple tricolour with cornflower wins out, however strong showing of Nordic style crosses places the symbol further to the hoist than would otherwise be (ie the centrepoint of a Nordic cross).
State Flag of Montana: "The Starry Night"
As you probably know around half of the US State Flags are just seals on top of flat backgrounds, and Montana is no different.
The flag depicts a night's sky filled with stars, inspired from its nickname "The Big Sky State". The 13 stars represent the original 13 colonies.
The flag also bears a Bitteroot flower, the official state flower of Montana.
The yellow and white are derrived from the state Motto:"Oro y plata"("Gold and silver")
The green sapine division represents the abundend forests.
As you probably know around half of the US State Flags are just seals on top of flat backgrounds, and Montana is no different.
The flag depicts a night's sky filled with stars, inspired from its nickname "The Big Sky State". The 13 stars represent the original 13 colonies.
The flag also bears a Bitteroot flower, the official state flower of Montana.
The yellow and white are derrived from the state Motto:"Oro y plata"("Gold and silver")
The green sapine division represents the abundend forests.
Israel and Judea
In TTL, Yitzhak Rabin wins an even greater majority in 1992, running on a radical peace platform. This wave of optimism has an effect on Oslo accords that go much further than in OTL and lay a groundwork for a peaceful and democratic One-State Solution.
The backlash from radical elements is of course even more severe, but both Rabin and Yasser Arafat narrowly escape assassination conspiracies (unlike OTL).
This has an effect of discrediting the radicals and most of the resistance to the plan evaporates in days. Encouraged by popular support, the one-state agreement is quickly signed in 1995, although it takes another decade and a half until it is fully completed.
The flag of Israel and Judea, as the new state is officially named, carries none of the old symbolism. Instead it is based on the red poppy anemone, a native Mediterranean flower that used to be the national flower of Israel. The flower is stylized in the way of Islamic Rub el Hizb.
In TTL, Yitzhak Rabin wins an even greater majority in 1992, running on a radical peace platform. This wave of optimism has an effect on Oslo accords that go much further than in OTL and lay a groundwork for a peaceful and democratic One-State Solution.
The backlash from radical elements is of course even more severe, but both Rabin and Yasser Arafat narrowly escape assassination conspiracies (unlike OTL).
This has an effect of discrediting the radicals and most of the resistance to the plan evaporates in days. Encouraged by popular support, the one-state agreement is quickly signed in 1995, although it takes another decade and a half until it is fully completed.
The flag of Israel and Judea, as the new state is officially named, carries none of the old symbolism. Instead it is based on the red poppy anemone, a native Mediterranean flower that used to be the national flower of Israel. The flower is stylized in the way of Islamic Rub el Hizb.
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I think you might have missed the part of the challenge stating that it involves countries from OTL only.
Oh man. Totally missed that.
I might have some time today to try and rework the description.
If I can’t make it in time, just disregard this entry.
After the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt in the Arab Spring and the installation of Mohamed Morsi as his successor, a movement grew up campaigning for a change to the Egyptian flag, seen as symbolic of the dictatorship. One of the last acts of President Morsi before his removal from power by the military was to sign into law a change to the flag, adding water lilies, an ancient symbol of Egypt representing calmness and peace, to the flag, alongside the traditional eagle of Saladin. The changed flag was retained by the new government, anxious to stress their peaceful aims.
Flag Challenge 192: Flower Flaps
Congrats to The Professor for winning the challenge with his entry for the Republic of Estonia. May his triumph be as great as the next challenge he comes with.
Congrats to The Professor for winning the challenge with his entry for the Republic of Estonia. May his triumph be as great as the next challenge he comes with.
Wow. Ok. Will have a bit of a think while it goes into the winner's thread.
Anything people especially dislike?
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The Pelgaul Kingdom (Formed around 5th-7th Century)
Context: During the classical age and before the great migration, a massive ice meteor lands into the atlantic ocean, causing sea levels to steadily rise more than 100 meters over the next few centuries or less. At the brink of Rome's collapse, land in countries like Denmark and The Netherlands cease to exist, Finland becomes much smaller, flood plains and lakes fill the near east and Britain and France are archipelagos. This allows for a greater level of isolation than is otherwise possible and leads to a more culturally diverse Western Europe. Celts are able to hold out against invaders for longer simply because of the tides and different cultures end up forming due to assimilation and migration. Believing that the rising oceans are the second coming of the great rains told about in the story of Noah, the people left that haven't drowned desperately convert to Christianity to save themselves and revolt against Rome. (Christianity spreads even faster and further across Europe because of this, even going into places that in OTL didn't adopt it until much later on, such as Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe)
The Pelgauls (derived from 'Archipelago' and 'Gaul') started from small tribes on Breton Island and the Norman Isles, who slowly spread their influence to Poitou and the cliffs of Picardy over the course of a hundred years. When Rome fell, The Pelagauls soon found themselves surrounded by several germanic tribes who spread to the land around them via foot and horse. However, because of the barbarians' initial lack of boats before their conquests, the Pelgauls managed to retain their culture which the rest of France lost during this period, leaving them unique in later centuries. Even if a significant amount of people died and were displaced by both the floods of the past and the constant wars and slaughters caused by invading barbarians, The Pelgauls managed to adapt to their situation and formed an affinity with the tides, meaning that they eventually turned themselves into one of the main powers of Europe during their time and beyond thanks to their sailors and prosperity (compared to everyone else)
The kingdom's flag uses symbolism from both native Gaulic culture and from surrounding countries in France: the fleur-de-lis and celtic knot are combined together and 4 of these golden symbols are in each corner of the flag. in the center is a blue cross representing the sea and the French combined with a green and white cross representing the Gauls themselves and their home among the expanse of water. the white represents peace and the ice sheets that dominate the far north of Europe (which left parts of Britain and Scandinavia in arctic conditions in this ATL).
Context: During the classical age and before the great migration, a massive ice meteor lands into the atlantic ocean, causing sea levels to steadily rise more than 100 meters over the next few centuries or less. At the brink of Rome's collapse, land in countries like Denmark and The Netherlands cease to exist, Finland becomes much smaller, flood plains and lakes fill the near east and Britain and France are archipelagos. This allows for a greater level of isolation than is otherwise possible and leads to a more culturally diverse Western Europe. Celts are able to hold out against invaders for longer simply because of the tides and different cultures end up forming due to assimilation and migration. Believing that the rising oceans are the second coming of the great rains told about in the story of Noah, the people left that haven't drowned desperately convert to Christianity to save themselves and revolt against Rome. (Christianity spreads even faster and further across Europe because of this, even going into places that in OTL didn't adopt it until much later on, such as Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe)
The Pelgauls (derived from 'Archipelago' and 'Gaul') started from small tribes on Breton Island and the Norman Isles, who slowly spread their influence to Poitou and the cliffs of Picardy over the course of a hundred years. When Rome fell, The Pelagauls soon found themselves surrounded by several germanic tribes who spread to the land around them via foot and horse. However, because of the barbarians' initial lack of boats before their conquests, the Pelgauls managed to retain their culture which the rest of France lost during this period, leaving them unique in later centuries. Even if a significant amount of people died and were displaced by both the floods of the past and the constant wars and slaughters caused by invading barbarians, The Pelgauls managed to adapt to their situation and formed an affinity with the tides, meaning that they eventually turned themselves into one of the main powers of Europe during their time and beyond thanks to their sailors and prosperity (compared to everyone else)
The kingdom's flag uses symbolism from both native Gaulic culture and from surrounding countries in France: the fleur-de-lis and celtic knot are combined together and 4 of these golden symbols are in each corner of the flag. in the center is a blue cross representing the sea and the French combined with a green and white cross representing the Gauls themselves and their home among the expanse of water. the white represents peace and the ice sheets that dominate the far north of Europe (which left parts of Britain and Scandinavia in arctic conditions in this ATL).
Post Ragnarok Iceland
As Icelandic volcano Öræfajökull erupted, the local inhabitants watched with horror as tick black plumes of smoke rose ever skyward, blocking out sunlight with the only illumination remaining being the dreadful dim orange glow of exploding jets of lava.
Up until then, Icelanders might have chalk it up to just a particularly bad eruption if it hadn't been for the horned giant rising slowly from the volcano's mouth, the flaming sword clutched tight in his hand being held on high as if challenging creation itself to come and take it away.
As the giant eventually emerged fully and made his way to the sea toward the Americas, the Icelanders knew there was no way to avoid the truth: Ragnarok was at hand.
Realising that the whole Christianity thing might not be that useful in the coming age, the Althing was called and with near unanimity, it was decided to readopt the Old Ways.
After oaths of devotion to the Old Gods were made and a rather uncooperative Bishop of Iceland was hanged from a tree as a blood sacrifice, it was decided to change the national flag to not only reflect the new reality but also to give better protection to the island.
While keeping the traditional colours, the Scandinavian cross was dropped in favour of one of the magical runic emblems (Galdrastafur) , Ægishjálmur or the Helm of Awe, a symbol guaranteed to protect the bearer and bring fear to his enemies.
As Icelandic volcano Öræfajökull erupted, the local inhabitants watched with horror as tick black plumes of smoke rose ever skyward, blocking out sunlight with the only illumination remaining being the dreadful dim orange glow of exploding jets of lava.
Up until then, Icelanders might have chalk it up to just a particularly bad eruption if it hadn't been for the horned giant rising slowly from the volcano's mouth, the flaming sword clutched tight in his hand being held on high as if challenging creation itself to come and take it away.
As the giant eventually emerged fully and made his way to the sea toward the Americas, the Icelanders knew there was no way to avoid the truth: Ragnarok was at hand.
Realising that the whole Christianity thing might not be that useful in the coming age, the Althing was called and with near unanimity, it was decided to readopt the Old Ways.
After oaths of devotion to the Old Gods were made and a rather uncooperative Bishop of Iceland was hanged from a tree as a blood sacrifice, it was decided to change the national flag to not only reflect the new reality but also to give better protection to the island.
While keeping the traditional colours, the Scandinavian cross was dropped in favour of one of the magical runic emblems (Galdrastafur) , Ægishjálmur or the Helm of Awe, a symbol guaranteed to protect the bearer and bring fear to his enemies.
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