Flag of Peru – Colors, Meaning, History ??

The flag of Peru was officially adopted in 1824 and later modified in 1950. This flag consists of three vertical bi-colors of red, white and red. Peruvians celebrate their flag annually on June 7th. In the country, the flag is recognized as the right representation of the country, its people and its history as well as a symbol of victory over Spanish rule.

History of the Flag of Peru

The genesis of the flag of Peru dates back to 1820 with the arrival of José de San Martín and his army from Argentina and Chile. On September 8, 1820, General José had a moment of rest after leaving the Port of Pisco in front of the Liberating Expedition. As the general fell asleep in the shade of a Palm tree, he dreamt of a crowd proudly cheering for freedom as they held a beautiful flag. Upon awakening, José opened his eyes to a sky adorned with a flock of birds with red wings and a white chest. The general believed this was a vision, and he said to Admiral Cochrane and the chief of Las Heras, “do you see the birds heading north?” Cochrane said, “Yes, sir, they are white and red.” The chief, Las Heras, noted, “they appear like a flag.” José replied, “they are a flag. The flag symbolizing freedom for Peru.”

In 1820, there was already a proposal for a new flag. The proposed flag consisted of a blue background with a golden faced Inca sun at the center. However, this flag was not adopted. The preferred design was red and white, with two red triangles and a white field. At the center of the flag was an oval insignia surrounded by a laurel that consisted of a rising faced sun behind a mountain and the sea. This flag was the creation of José de San Martín after his vision, as explained above. Although the flag was unusual, it was widely accepted.

In 1822, Local Independent Partisans took over and adopted a flag similar to the General’s flag. This new flag consisted of a horizontal red-white-red stripe with the Inca sun at the center. However, this sun was confusing and was soon altered on May 31, 1822, to a flag with vertical lines and the sun at the center. In 1825, the sun appearing at the center of the flag was replaced with a national coat of arms, which consisted of a shield that was divided into three sections. The top left of the shield was a vicuña on a blue background accompanied by a cinchona tree and at the bottom was a shell on a red background.

At the time, the Peruvian Constituency Assembly had been established. Five projects were presented to be the design for the national flag. However, all the proposals were rejected. The replacement of the red Inca sun with the Coat of Arms was the only accepted idea for the national flag. In 1838, General Santa Cruz established the Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation. This confederation unified North Peru with South Peru. North Peru at the time had its flag, which consisted of a red background with the Bolivian Coat of Arms at the center.

On the other hand, South Peru’s flag consisted of a green and white horizontal stripes with a vertical red line at the hoist. On the red was the golden yellow-faced Inca sun with four golden stars above the sun. Although Santa Cruz was overthrown in 1838, the 1825 flag was adopted as the official flag for the unified territory. In 1950, Peru took a simple red-white-red flag, which has been in use up to date.

What is the meaning behind the colors of the Peruvian Flag?

Colors
The colors of the flag are red and white, and their precise meaning is as follows.

Red: Bloodshed
White: Peace and justice

Unofficially, the colors are believed to represent.

White represents purity, of feelings, social justice, freedom and peace
Red represents the blood of the patriots. The color red was the traditional war color for the Incas. It is, therefore, a symbol of sacrifice for the sake of the country.

Emblem
The civil flag of Peru (commonly known as Bandera Nacional) doesn’t have an emblem since it was removed in 1950 when General Manuel A. Odría ordered the removal of the coat of arms from the national flag.
On the other hand, the Peruvian War Flag, or as it is commonly known as Bandera de Guerra, contains the coat of arms, that consists of three main symbols.

The vicuña, which is a type of animal that resembles the alpaca, symbolizes the richness of Peruvian Fauna. It is also a symbol of freedom, heroism, and national pride.
The Cinchona tree. The bark of this tree is used to make medicine.
A shell-like figure known as a cornucopia. This design dates back to ancient Greece. The cornucopia on the flag spills out gold and silver coins, and it symbolizes Peruvian’s mineral wealth.

Above the shield is a laurel wreath. The national flag appears draped on either side of the shield. The flag with the Coat of Arms is used for official government purposes as well as military use.

Shape
The flag of Peru has a length to width ratio of 2:3. The national banner is simple with all the vertical stripes being equal in shape.

Interesting Facts about the Flag of Peru

It is said that the birds that José de San Martín saw were flamingos (parihuanas) with their red wings and white chest. Flamingoes are famous in the Southern Coast of Peru.
The official name of the flag is Pabellón Nacional.
Some historians argue that the reason behind José de San Martín’s selection of the colors is because they resembled the Viceroyalty of Peru (the Spanish Cross of Burgundy), which consisted of a red diagonal cross on a white background.
During the Peruvian Independence Day, the law requires Peruvians to fly the flag on their homes. This rule (Law 8916) is specific concerning the material used to make the flag, the type of flag pole, and the required dimensions in relation to the building where it will be hoisted. Failure to set up the banner on this day can result in a fine.
The state flag of Peru is hoisted on state buildings every day from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
The cornucopia design appears on the Peruvian currency. However, on the money, it is filled with corn instead of silver and gold.
On Peru’s Flag Day, the flag is hoisted as a reminder of the country’s victories, especially in the battle of Arica, between Peru and Chile.

Do you know any other interesting facts about the flag of Peru? Share your thoughts below.