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Chuquisaca department, Bolivia

Last modified: 2020-12-26 by rob raeside
Keywords: chuquisaca | burgundian cross | charcas audiency | variation | cross: burgundian | saltire (red) |
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Flag of Chuquisaca image by António Martins, 16 November 2017
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Description of the flag

The flag is white with Burgundy red cross in the military Spanish style, based on the banner of the Charcas Audiency. Today the white is peace, purity and faith; and the red is the blood. [m2nXX]
Jaume Ollé, 02 November 1996 and 23 June 1998

There are few different detailed patterns of the saltire.
Jan Zrzavy, 01 September 1999

The most usual version of the Chuquisaca prov. flag has a relatively thick cross and modest, stylized “gnarls”. It is attested in many photos of official and popular use and in many flat depictions in official sources and derivatives thereof. (Ex.: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GKjkaU_jym8/maxresdefault.jpg)

This flag was adopted in 1945 by Prefecture Decree (Decreto Prefectural del 30 de octubre 1945) Apparently it reads «rectangular íntegramente de color blanco, entrecruzado de punta a punta por dos franjas rojas púrpura en forma de flecha, uniendo así las cuatro esquinas», as given by a provincial school resource. It acknowledges that this flag «tiene su origen en la Real Audiencia de Charcas» (therefore, it is a Spanish Burgundy cross flag) but adds that «El color blanco significa la paz, la pureza y la fe; el rojo representa la sangre derramada por la América y el Alto Perú.»

The unclear description is likely the case for all the disparate variants found. I gathered the following based on photos of actual flags or scanned images from hardcopy sources, such as books and 20th. cent. imagery.
António Martins, 16 November 2017


Variants

Var. flag of Chuquisaca image by António Martins and Jan-Patrick Fischer, 16 November 2017

In front of the presidential palace of La Paz, the soldiers of the presidential guard hang up a simplified version: A simple red cross on white back ground. Seems to be an accepted simple version of the official flag of Chuquisaca.
Jan-Patrick Fischer, 17 February 2001

When I was in La Paz in 2001, I saw the flags of the departments hoisted at Plaza Murillo, in front of the Presidential Palace. The flag of Chuquisaca was simplified to a red cross on a white field (like the St.Patrick cross flag).
J. Patrick Fischer, 19 November 2005

Var. flag of Chuquisaca image by António Martins, 16 November 2017

Thin diagonal cross with a single pair of “gnarls” on each arm, all arrows pointing to the hoist. See example: http://www.eldiario.net/noticias/2015/2015_05/nt150523/f_2015-05-23_39.jpg (use in parade; apparently more like this in the background)
António Martins, 16 November 2017

Var. flag of Chuquisaca image by António Martins, 16 November 2017

Thin diagonal cross with white (negative space) chevron gaps, all arrows pointing to the hoist. See example: http://www.educa.com.bo/sites/default/files/bandera%20chuquisaca.jpg (apparently illustration of provincial costumes, maybe as part of a series)
António Martins, 16 November 2017

Var. flag of Chuquisaca image by António Martins, 16 November 2017

Thin diagonal cross with white (negative space) "K"-shaped gaps, all arrows pointing to the hoist. See example: http://lapatriaenlinea.com/fotos/08_2012/115127_1_06.jpg (apparently part of a series).
António Martins, 16 November 2017

Var. flag of Chuquisaca image by António Martins, 16 November 2017

Thin diagonal cross not reaching the edges of the flag, its tips ending in triangular arrowheads, all arrows pointing outwards. See example, apparently published on a newspaper or magazine: http://www.opinion.com.bo/opinion/articulos/2014/0523/fotos/002808_600.jpg
António Martins, 16 November 2017

Var. flag of Chuquisaca image by António Martins, 16 November 2017

Thin, smallish Greek cross, centered, its tips ending in lozenge/spearpoint arrowheads, all arrows pointing outwards. See example, large flag in a parade: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/81/35/6b/81356b02f199999141089107702d3eca.jpg
António Martins, 16 November 2017