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Houtigehage (The Netherlands)

Fryslân province

by Jarig Bakker, 20 Sep 2003
Design: J.C. Terluin.

Houtigehage village

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Houtigehage village

Houtigehage is a village in the municipality of Smallingerland, Fryslân province, with (1958) 902; (1974) 761 inhabitants, NE of Drachten, with two hamlets: Lucht-en-Veld, and Vianen. It is one of the "heidedorpen" (heathervillages) - the village was founded before the peat-digging was started - the villagers are of course "heidtsjers" (heather-inhabitants), corrupted to "heidens" (pagans); in the 1950's and '60's c. 30 % voted CPN (Dutch communists. Another nickname was "skrobbemakkers" (broommakers).
Houtigehage Coat of Arms: divided in gold and red; over all an eradicated oaktree of five branches, all branches with five leaves and an acorn on top; the central one with two acorns; of green in gold and of gold in red; the stem with two facing erased sheep's heads of silver; a corder divided of green and gold.
Flag: a red hoist of 7/15 flaglength and a yellow fly; on top, hoist and bottom a border of 1/7 flagheight; yellow around the red, and green on top of and below the yellow; in the red hoist an erased white sheep's head.
The name Houtigehage means: small ribbon of land between marshes, "hout" refers to low growth. The design for Coat of Arms and flag have been based on those facts. The dual division refers to the two hamlets; the small land-ribbon is represented by the shield-border and the woody growth by the oak. On the heather sheep were kept, represented by the sheep's heads. Green represents meadows, and yellow sandy soil.
Design: J.C. Terluin
Source: Genealogysk Jierboekje 2001.
Encyclopedie van Friesland, 1958.
Jarig Bakker, 20 Sep 2003