Odda (Norway)

Last modified: 2002-11-16 by elias granqvist
Keywords: odda | arrowhead |
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by Jan Oskar Engene, 28 June 2002

Approved on 8 October 1982.

• About the flag
• Blazon

• Norway
• Norwegian municipality flags

The idea of adopting an arrowhead as the symbol of Odda originated with the final year students at the high school in Odda in 1957. However, the idea rested for a long time until it was revived and a flag with a white arrowhead pointing upwards on a blue field was approved 8 October 1982. Hallvard Trætteberg, the most prominenent Norwegian heraldist on the 20th century, was the designer. In the local regulations, the proportions of the flag are set to 1:1. The reason for choosing the motive is that the name Odda means 'point' or 'arrowhead'. However, the arrowhead was also chosen because it symbolises power and movement. This is seen as reflecting the strength of will of the community and also the production of hydroelectric power and the important industries based on it. The colours are interpreted as representing the white of the glacier Folgefonna and the snowcapped mountains surrounding Odda and the blue of the fjord cutting deep into the landscape to reach the community.

Jan Oskar Engene, 28 June 2002

Source: The text and image are based on research Engene did for an article published in the German vexillological journal Der Flaggenkurier, No. 2, 1996 [joe96]. Consult this article for detailed references to sources.

This one is an arrowhead. Alta in Finnmark has a spearhead, also in white on blue, which makes the flags of Odda and Alta rather similar.

Jan Oskar Engene, 5 August 2002