Embu das Artes, São Paulo State (Brazil)

Last modified: 2012-11-10 by ian macdonald
Keywords: sao paulo | embu |
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image by Dirk Schönberger, 24 October 2012
Source: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embu_das_Artes

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About the Flag

A descending diagonal tricolour, red over yellow over green, with the municipal arms in the centre.

Official website at http://www.embu.sp.gov.br 
Dirk Schönberger, 24 October 2012

Embu was originally known as M'boy. In 1624, Fernão Dias and his mother Catrina Camacho, among the biggest landlords in the region, offered a plot to the Society of Jesus, provided the building of a chapel dedicated to our Lady of the Rosary. Father Pedro Belchio de Pontes started the building of the chapel in 1628, transferring there the hamlet of M'boy. The hamlet is said to have been named after a Tupi word meaning "cobra" because of the abundance of snakes. In 1740, Father Domingos Machado started the building of a convent. Several artists were commissioned to decorate the convent and the chapel, whose wooden walls and statutes were gilded, thanks to the income obtained with the large-scale cultivation of cotton. Quite isolated, the village developed slowly. At the end of the 19th century, the São Paulo Diocese commissioned the engineer Henrique Bocolini to organize the urbanization of the place. Bocolini recognized the artistic value of the religious buildings and started their restoration. From 1920 onwards, Embu was the residence of several noted painters, such as Cássio M´Boy, Assis do Embu, Solano Trindade and Ana Moysés. The Embu das Artes Fair, of national and international fame, was founded in 1969. Embu was granted the title of Tourist Resort on 12 November 1979 by State Law No. 2,161.

The district of M'boy was established on 21 April 1880 by Law No. 93, as part of the municipality of Itapecerica. State Decree No. 9,775 of 30 November 1938 renamed the district Embu. The municipality of Embu was established on 18 February 1959 by State Law No. 5,285 and inaugurated on 1 January 1960.

The flag of Embu is prescribed by Municipal Law No. 367 of 25 April 1968. The flag is diagonally divided green-yellow-red, with the municipal coat of arms in the middle.
http://www.embu.sp.gov.br/e-gov/cidade/?ver=218 - Municipal website, no image provided

A photo of the flag seems to indicate that the shade of green used is the same as on the Brazilian flag (assuming that the flag, mostly concealed by the municipal flag is indeed the flag of Brazil, which seems quite logical).
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-88g2pDvQyos/TboB1-_3M8I/AAAAAAAAAiU/Tsz2G4TemnU/s1600/f.jpg 

The coat of arms of Embu is prescribed by Municipal Law No. 130 of 19 November 1962. Its elements are explained as follows:

• The Portuguese shield, rounded-off in base, according to the traditional style used in municipal heraldry, is a tribute to the early Portuguese colonists of Embu.
• The gold pioneer's jacket was worn by the pioneers from Embu who attacked the Jesuits in the south. The chief is charged with the emblem of the Society of Jesus.
• Argent symbolizes purity.
• The mural crown is the symbol of municipalities.
• The headdress made of multicoloured feathers recall the first settlement dedicated to timber exploitation.
• The cartel in colonial style (18th century) is inspired by an elements of the church of Our Lady of the Rosary; it is used, symbolically, to show the year of foundation of the town. Such cartels were characteristic of coat of arms in the 18th century.
• The motto "GENVUINVM GENVS" (Genuine People) [...]

 http://www.embu.sp.gov.br/e-gov/cidade/?ver=217 - Municipal website, no image provided

On the aforementioned photo, the coat of arms used on the flag is not strictly identical to the one shown by Dirk on his image. 
Ivan Sache, 1 November 2012