Last modified: 2002-10-26 by joe mcmillan
Keywords: paraná | brazil | pine | mate | samnitic shield | southern cross | diagonal | araucaria |
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![[Flag of Paraná]](../images/b/br-pr.gif)
7:10
by Jorge Candeias
Around the sphere, a branch of pine on the observer's right side and another
of erva mate on the observer's left symbolize what in earlier times represented the
economical basis of the State.
Zeljko Heimer, 13 June 1996
"The flag of Paraná State was adopted by state decree no. 8 on
9 January 1892. It changed in March of 1947 and again in September of 1990.
The present flag is a green rectangle, with a white strip and blue sphere.
The blue sphere represents the constellation of the Southern Cross in the
position where it was in the sky on 29 August 1853, the date when the province
of Paraná was created by law n. 704, signed by the Brazilian Emperor
Dom Pedro II. . . . The stars are Alpha crucis (Magalhães), Beta crucis (Mimosa),
Gamma crucis (Rubídea),
Delta crucis (pálida or pale) and Epsilon crucis (Intrometida or Nosey). Two green
branches follow the curve of the sphere: one of yerva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis)
on the [observer's] left and the other of pinheiro-do-Paraná (Araucaria angustifolia,
or Paraná pine) on the right."
Source: Carlos Renato Fernandes, "O Paraná"
Translated by Érico Germano Hack, 3 August 1998
Usually Brazilians use the word pinheiro to refer to trees of the genus
Araucaria, (the "Monkey Puzzle") or sometimes Podocarpus, while in European
Portuguese it retains the meaning of "pine tree." [Erva-]Mate, or congonha,
is a kind of South American holly, Ilex paraguariensis, used for timber and herbal tea.
António Martins, 16 December 2001
![[Flag of Paraná]](../images/b/br-pr1.gif)
by António Martins
I found quite recently a black and white photo in a newspaper of a bunch
of people waving two flags: Paraná and Amazonas. The flag in the photo
has, however, some differences from the flag shown above. The shade of green seems lighter
(it's a
lighter grey than the the one corresponding to the red and blue from the
flag of Amazonas), and the diagonal strip does not go from corner to corner.
Instead, it divides the flag in triangle-trapezoid-triangle, with the triangles
having their vertices in the corners and in about 2/5ths of the height. The
overall proportions look close to 2:3.
Jorge Candeias, 4 August 1998
by Falko Schmidt
The flag of Paraná was adopted in 1892 and had in its center the shield of
the state.
Jaume Ollé, 28 June 1996
In Vexillinfo No. 51 is an image of the first emblem of Paraná which
remained until 1905 the first state flag of Paraná.
Falko Schmidt, 16 December 2001
In Clovis Ribeiro, Brazões e Bandeiras do Brasil (São Paulo 1933)
is the text of the flag law from 9 January 1892:
There is hereby adopted as the particular standard of the State of Paraná the flag presented by citizen Manoel Correia de Freitas at the session of the Legislative Assembly of 3 July 1891 and executed by the artist Paulo de Assumpçao. This flag consists of a green rectangle cut transversely from left to right by a wide white stripe, having on the center upon this stripe a blue sphere containing in the equatorial zone, set obliquely descending from left to right, the motto Ordem e Progresso [Order and Progress] in white letters inscribed between two circles of the same color. Perpendicular to these lines falls another of the preceding color representing the line of the zodiac. Upon the sphere, in the supper left angle, is a red Phrygian cap. In the lower hemisphere in the left angle, one of the stars of the constellation of the Southern Cross and, in the right, the other four stars of the same constellation. Surrounding the lower hemisphere, a branch of araucária to the left and another of erva mate to the right, interlaced, all according to the annexed model.Klaus Günther, translated by Joseph McMillan, 9 January 2002
It seems to me that the extra line representing the zodiac must not be
perpendicular to the inscription, and that the
circles surrounding the motto are not really supposed to be circles but lines above
and below the inscription as if encircling the sphere.
Joseph McMillan, 12 August 2002
Michel Lupant, who provided the material on which the above image of the 1905 flag was based,
tells me his source is Símbolos da República Federativa do Brasil e
do estado do Paraná by Sebastião Ferrarini (1976), and sent me the scan
of Ferrarini's image. The image is an accurate rendition of what Ferrarini shows as the first flag of
Paraná. That doesn't mean Ferrarini is necessarily right, but it's the only graphic we have of this flag.
I would simply note the apparent conflict between written and graphic sources.
Joseph McMillan, 4 September 2002
by Falko Schmidt
In 1904 [1905?] the shield was modified.
Jaume Ollé, 28 June 1996
According
to Brazões e bandeiras do Brasil by Clovis Ribeiro (São Paulo,
1933) the text of law No. 592 of 24 March 1905, Article 2, reads:
The flag will be the one used up to now [i.e., until 1905], consisting of a green rectangle, cut transversely from top to bottom and from the upper right angle to the [angle] opposite by a wide white arched stripe, its center and that of the flag occupied by a blue sphere, whose equatorial zone, tilted obliquely, descending [toward the fly] contains a white stripe bearing the word "Paraná," and whose lower hemisphere bears the five stars of the Southern Cross; embracing the lower half of the sphere a wreath of crossed branches of pine and mate.This law was changed by law No. 2182 of 15 March 1923. I hope that the image above is according to this description. The copy of the book shows such an image in black and white.
Clovis Ribeiro mentions that the 1905 flag of
Paraná was abolished by state law 2182 of 15 March 1923. The governor at the time believed states should not
have their own flags and spearheaded a campaign to encourage a number of states to drop theirs.
He succeeded in a few states including Paraíba and Mato Grosso, but not in many.
Joseph McMillan, 4 September 2002
![[Flag of Paraná of 1947]](../images/b/br-pr47.gif)
by Zeljko Heimer
The flag was not used between
1937 and 3 May 1947, when it was reestablished by decree. The pre-1990 design of the shield and flag
(which basically conserved its original aspect) was by Rodolfo Doubeck. It contained a sky-blue circle
with the constellation of the Southern Cross, and a band with the word PARANÁ.
Jaume Ollé, 28 June 1996
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