^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Guaitarilla (Narino, Colombia)

image by Dov Gutterman (based on municipal web site), 12 August 2008

Overview
Coat of Arms

See also:

Overview

Guaitarilla is a municipality in the Nariño Department. It was founded on 1 January 1892.
The flag of Guaitarilla is white and charged with the municipal emblem.
Source: municipal web site
Dov Gutterman and Felipe Carrillo, 12 August 2008

Translated from municipal web site:
"The flag is white with a yellow staff and tassels of the same colour. It was designed by Lucas Solarte y Solarte."
The emblem was designed by Lucas Solarte y Solarte.
The central element of the emblem is an open book with red writing "AQUÍ NACIÓ LA LIBERTAD AMERICANA EL18 DE MAYO DE 1800 [Here was born the American liberty on 18 May 1800]".
Guaitarilla and the neighbouring village of Túquerres were the center of an anti-colonial uprising. On 18 May 1800, the parishers of Guaitarilla revolted against the Decree increasing the taxes read after the mass by the priest. The uprising spread to the neighborhood, so that on 19 May, several natives, including 400 from Guaitarilla, gathered in Ramón Cucas Remo's estate. The mob then moved to the estate of the brothers Clavijo, the alleged authors of the Decree, and sacked it. Having learned that the Clavijos had fled into the church, the mob led by Julián Carlosama entered the church on 19 May, in spite of the priest's protest, found the Clavijos and killed them. This event was the end of the uprising. Guaitarilla was awarded the title of "CIUDAD PRECURSORA" (Precursor Town), written in red letters on the white scroll placed above the book. The book and the scroll are hold in an Andine's condor claws and beak, respectively. The basket of flowers placed between the book and the lower scroll recalls the nickname of Guaitarilla, "Cesto de Flores" (Basket of Flowers). The name of the village is derived from local toponyms meaning "Valley of the Flowers" or "Basket of Flowers" in Aymara and Quechua.
The book is flanked by branches of olive and laurel, symbolyzing peace and glory, respectively. The 15 white stars surrounding the upper half of the emblem stand for the beauty and the 15 components of the municipality (list not available).
According to the detailed description of the municipality in Spanish Wikipedia, the municipal emblems were adopted by Municipal Decree No. 2 on 15 May 1947.
Ivan Sache, 30 August 2008

Coat of Arms

image from municipal web site