The Basque flag was created in 1894 by Sabino Arana (founder
of Basque nationalism). The name of the flag in the
Basque language is ikurrina. Although the meaning of this word
is flag, it is actually used only for the Basque flag.
While not a flag of a nation-state, it nevertheless serves
as unifying symbol for Basque everywhere.
(Article written by Xabier Ormaetxea and Blas Uberuaga)
http://www.buber.net/Basque/Folklore/ikurrina.html
The Basque flag was created in 1894 by Sabino Arana (founder
of Basque nationalism). The name of the flag in the
Basque language is ikurrina. Although the meaning of this word
is flag, it is actually used only for the Basque flag.
;
Basque people prefer to use the Spanish word bandera for
other flags (when they are speaking in Basque, of course).
The ikurrina was originally created only for
Bizkaia (the main region of Euskadi), but it became very
popular and the rest of the Basque regions (4 regions in
Spain and 3 in France) accepted it as the flag for all of
Euskadi. In the begining only the Basque Nationalist Party
(founded by Sabino Arana on July 31st, 1895) used it, but
during the 2nd Spanish Republic (1931-1939) all of the
democratic parties accepted it. In 1936, the Basque
Autonomous Government was created (it's Lehendakari
(president) was Jose Antonio Agirre) with representation of
all the democratic parties, and the ikurrina was declared,
by law, the Basque flag.
After the Spanish war, the dictatorship declared
the ikurrina illegal, and it was completely forbidden and
declared as a separatist symbol. During the 2nd World War
there was a Basque brigade in the French free army, and the
ikurrina of the brigade was condecorated ( because of the
battle of Point
de Grave, near Burdeaux).
After the last Spanish dictatorship, and with
the approval of the Basque autonomy, the ikurrina was
declared again by law as the official Basque flag. In the
Basque-French country, it has always been allowed and after
World War II it was officially used in the town halls
together with the French
flag.
Significance of the ikurrina
Historically, the flag of Bizkaia was red, so the aim of the
Arana brothers was to also give it the meaning of Bizkaia,
independence and
God. So the red color of the field represents Bizkaia or
Euskadi, the green St. Andrew's cross stands for the the
independence of the Basque Country. It is green because it
also symbolizes the oak tree of Gernika, the symbol of
Basque freedom. The white cross represents God.
The green St. Andrew's cross: In the Middles
Ages (year 867), there was a battle between the Basques and
the Spaniards in a place called Padura. This battle was on
St. Andrew's day. The stones of the place were stained with
blood and since that day that place has been called
Arrigorriaga (Place of red stones). It is not clear if this
battle is historical or legendary, but the St. Andrew's
cross as often been used in Basque flags, like those of the
Consulate of Bilbao, The Naval flag of Biscay, and in some
Carlists flags during the Carlists wars (1836-1876).
Measurements and proportions.
Originaly: In a field of 500 cm by 280 cm the
crosses had a width of 20 cm. Since 1936: With the same
field, the crosses were enlarged to 43 cm in width, to make
them more visible, especially the green one.
Article 5 of the 1979 Statutes of Autonomy establishes
the Ikurriña as the national flag of the Basque Country and
also recognises the flags and insignias of the Historical
Territories or Provinces that make up the Basque Autonomous
Community.
The flag or "ikurrina" of the Basque Country consists of
a green diagonal cross, a white vertical cross and red
background.
It was originally designed as the flag of Bizkaia by the
brothers Luis and Sabino de Arana Goiri, who respectively
inspired and founded Basque nationalism. As a consequence of
its use during the first 30 years of the 20th century in all
kinds of events and its widespread use throughout the Basque
provinces of Gipuzkoa, Alava and Navarra, as well as in the
French Basque Country, it ceased to be purely the flag of a
political party and was adopted as the Basque flag. In 1936,
the Basque Government declared it to be the national emblem.
According to its designers, the Ikurriña was based on the
flag of Bizkaia. The red background was taken from the coat
of arms of Bizkaia. The green cross of St Andrew (the colour
green was an allusion to the oak tree in the coat of arms of
Bizkaia) was placed on this red background. The white cross
was also taken from the one superimposed over the oak in
this same coat of arms. Its symbolism, according to the
intentions of its authors, was simple: Bizkaia, its
individual rights and religious faith hierarchically
related.
The
Ikurriña or
Ikurrina flag
is a
Basque symbol and the official flag of
the
Basque Country
Autonomous Community of Spain.
Following the pattern of the
Union Flag, the flag was designed by the
founders of the
Basque Nationalist Party EAJ-PNV,
Luis and
Sabino Arana, and is commonly regarded
as the national but unofficial symbol of
Euskal Herria, or the wider
Basque Country. It is widely seen in the
French Basque Country and forms part of
the unofficial flag of
Saint Pierre and Miquelon, the French
overseas community in
North America that was settled by French
Basque and also many Spanish Basque sailors.
The Ikurriña is also the flag of the
Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ-PNV). A
controversy exists because at first it was
only the symbol of a section of the party
(the section of Biscay) and many persons
thought that another flag must represent the
territory.
The flag's British influence is probably
due to the close connection between Bilbao
and Britain at the time of its design and
the
Cross of Burgundy flag[citation
needed] (Spanish Imperial
Emblem), the old flag of the
Kingdom of Navarre and the Italian
immigration for the colors[citation
needed]. (Ironically, at later
times Basque Nationalists flying this flag
on some occasions identitifed themselves and
associated with anti-British
Irish Nationalists.)
The flag was designed in 1894 to
represent the province of
Biscay in a set of one flag for each of
the seven Basque provinces and one for the
whole country; however, since PNV activity
was scarce outside of Biscay, only the
Biscayne flag was publicly recognized. It
was hoisted for the first time in the "Euzkeldun
Batzokija", the club that preceded EAJ-PNV.
The party adopted it in 1895 and, in 1933,
proposed it as the flag of the whole
Basque Country.
In 1936, because the Basque people had
accepted the "ikurriña" and at the
suggestion of the socialist counselor Aznar,
the Basque Government adopted it as the flag
of the Basque Autonomous Region. The regime
of General Franco prohibited it in 1938 (it
continued to be used in
the Basque departements of France). It
became a symbol of defiance – the first
actions of the clandestine group
ETA involved placing flags in public
places. During the
Spanish transition to democracy, it was
legalized in 1977. Two years later, the
Basque Government turned to adopt it as flag
of the Basque A.C. It was also adopted by
nationalists in the rest of the provinces.
The red ground symbolizes the Biscayan
people (the race); the green saltire might
represent the
Oak of Guernica, a symbol of the old
laws of Biscay, or
Fueros; and over them, the white cross,
God's symbol of Basque Catholic devotion.
Thus, red, white and green have become the
national Basque colors.
