Where does the Basque flag come from?
The ikurrina flag (in Basque) or ikurriña (Spanish spelling of the Basque term) is a Basque symbol and the official flag of the Basque Country Autonomous Community of Spain. This flag consists of a white cross over a green saltire on a red field.
Why does the Basque flag look like the Union Jack?
Some say that the Basque flag was deliberated modeled after the Union Jack, the national flag of the United Kingdom, because Great Britain was the first economic power in the world at the time. Some also say it was because Bizkaia had a long history of trade with Britain.
What is the Basque Country flag?
ikurrina
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.
What is the history of the Basque Country?
Basques lived in northern Spain when the Romans invaded the area in 196 B.C., for instance, but managed to retain most of their traditions and laws throughout Roman rule and their time under the various invaders that followed. A Basque herder walks hundreds of sheep up a cloud-veiled mountain in the French Pyrenees.
What does the Basque symbol mean?
The Lauburu, also known as the ‘Basque Cross’ is an ancient symbol commonly identified with the Basque people, and is said to represent their unity, culture and identity. This ancient Basque symbol means four heads, four ends, or four summits.
When was the Basque flag created?
1894
The Basque flag was created in 1894 by Sabino Arana and his brother Luis. 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.
Are Basques Catholic?
The Basques have a strong allegiance to Roman Catholicism. They were not converted to Christianity until the 10th century, however, and, although they are now among the most observant of Spanish Catholics, animism survives in their folklore.
What is the Basque religion?
What is the Basque symbol?
The lauburu
The lauburu (Basque: lauburu, “four heads”) is a traditional celtic hooked cross with four comma-shaped heads, resembling a swastika. Today, Lauburu is a symbol of the Basque Country and the unity of the Basque people. It is also associated with Celtic peoples, most notably Galicians and Asturians.
What are the colors of the Basque Country?
Thus, red, white and green have become the national Basque colors. 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.
What was the Basque flag during the Spanish Civil War?
The Basque National Party officially adopted the ikurriña as their flag in 1895, and in 1933 they proposed it as the flag for the entire Basque Country. During the Spanish Civil War, the ikurriña was used as the Naval jack of the Basque Auxiliary Navy, a division of the Spanish Republican Navy operating in the Bay of Biscay.
When was the Ikurrina adopted as the Basque flag?
Since the Basque people had accepted the “ikurriña”, at the suggestion of the socialist counselor Aznar, the Basque Government adopted it as the flag of the Basque Autonomous Region in 1936.
Is it illegal to travel in the Basque Country?
Unauthorized use is prohibited. The centuries-long struggle for Basque independence may set an example for similar groups in the country. Travel through Basque country in northern Spain, and you’ll encounter breathtaking coastal vistas, rocky landscapes and tranquil farms.