Guyana

Co-operative Republic of Guyana

Last modified: 2001-11-09 by dov gutterman
Keywords: guyana | america | arrow |
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by Zeljko Heimer, 27 October 2001

• The Flag
• the Designer
• Coat of Arms
• Aircraft Marking

See also:

• Guyana - Presidential Flag
• Guyana - Civil and Naval Ensign
• Guyana - Civil Air Ensign
• Guyana - Political Flags
• Guyana - Historical Flags (2 parts)

The Flag

From: http://www.guyana.org/flag.htm
"The Golden Arrowhead, Guyana's National Flag has FIVE symbolic colors:
GREEN represents the agricultural and forested nature of Guyana,
WHITE symbolizes the rivers and water potential of the country,
GOLDEN arrow represents Guyana's mineral wealth,
BLACK portrays the endurance that will sustain the forward thrust of the Guyanese people,
RED represents the zeal and dynamic nature of nation-building which lies before the young and independent Guyana."
Dov Gutterman, 6 January 1999

At July York ICV meeting, showing Guyana page of Album to Whitney Smith, he told me that my ill 1 (sea version) is wrong, summit of triangle should reach the middle of flag. ;I have no illustration of that (any FOTWer ?)
Armand du Payrat, 25 October 2001

According to Album 2000 [pay00] - National Flag (CSW/--- 3:5) - On lnad the flag is in ratio 3:5, green with white fimbrated yellow isosceles triangle with base at hoist and top at fly end, and over it a black fimbrated red traingle with bas at hoist and top at midpoint of the flag. The fimbrations are not made along hoist edge, of course.
Apparently, as Armand discovered talking with Whitney Smith, the hoist trinagle should reach the midpoint of the flag (and should not be an equilateral triangle).
Zeljko Heimer, 27 October 2001

Although I have no correct construction sheet of the Guyana flag, I've found an interesting data in Ludvik Mucha's book "Flags and Coats of Arms". According to him, green color occupies 50% of the flag area, yellow 24%, red 16%, white 6% and black 4%. However, if the red+black triangle reaches the center of the flag, red+black should occupy 25% (not 20%), and yellow+white also 25% (not 30%) of the area.
Jan Zrzavy, 7 November 2001

The Designer

This is probably the only current national flag to be designed by Whitney Smith and his team!
David Kendall , 1 October 1996

The black and white fimbriations were not in Whitney Smith's original design, but were added by the English College of Arms. Can't see why, as the flag wasn't disobeying the colour-on-colour/metal-on-metal rule before (it does now!).
Roy Stilling, 1 October 1996 and 14 May 1997

I had actually heard that the fimbriations were added by officials of the Guyanan government.� In either case, Dr. Smith's original design did not include them.
Steve Kramer, 8 December 2000

The current flag of Guyana was designed in 1962 by an American, Mr. Whitney Smith, and was the result of an international competition held by the then government. (The year 1962 was expected to be "Independence Year"). The design was NEVER CHANGED by the new government which took office in December 1964. This flag of Guyana, since 1966, became known as the "Golden Arrowhead."
Amb. Odeen Ishmael, Guyana Embassy - Washington DC, 18 December 2000

In DK's Complete Flags of the World (1999) I read: 'The original design had a red field, but this was altered by the College of Arms (in England) in 1966, which also added the black and white fimbriations.' That is corroborated in Crampton's FOTW (1990) and by Roy Stilling.
Jarig Bakker, 18 December 2000

Just a clarification: "The original design had a red field" - I assume it means: 'green triangle on yellow arrow on red field' and not 'red triangle on yellow arrow on red field'.
Ole Andersen, 18 December 2000

In Smith's original design, the red and the green altered their positions. I believe that it was because that those who participate in a contest want to win the contest. Smith made his design prevaling the red color according to the leftist inclinations of the premier Mr. Jagan (a ethnic indian pro-soviet). The design of Vaclav Kalikova also show a gold triangle (but single) from hoist to fly and rest is green (and a blue star is in the yellow triangle). Perhaps the College of arms made a mixture of both designs. I believe that the five colors were in fact requested by the government (I read it) but I don't remember if for Mr. Jagan or Mr. Burham. The fimbriations are against the heraldic principes and is strange that College of arms (aleways precise) added unnecesary fimbriations.
Jaume Oll?, 7 January 2001

Coat of Arms

by Zeljko Heimer, 28 October 2001

The CoA is mostly unchnaged Corel Clipart image, coloured according to [smi82].
Zeljko Heimer, 28 October 2001

The coat of arms features the following local attributes:
- a cacique's crown
- diamonds
- jaguars
- agricultural products (sugar cane and rice)
- a pickaxe
- a 'canje' pheasant

The traditional featherhead crown is also present on the President's standard. The national flower (Victoria regia lily) is also present on this flag.
The arms were granted in 1966, the President's standard in 1970.
Sources: Smith (1976) ; DK Pocket Book (1998).
Ivan Sache, 29 October 2001

Aircraft Marking

by Zeljko Heimer, 27 October 2001

A report from a French vessel visiting the country also told me that aircraft marking� (b - y - b roundel) is no more valid : reportedly� it shows now the letters SDF.
Armand du Payrat, 25 October 2001

According to Album 2000 [pay00] - Aircraft marking - Black-yellow-black roundel. A note says that the national flag is painted on the fin. Armand suggested that this markings are currently obsolete.
Zeljko Heimer, 27 October 2001