John A.B. Szala Editor 197 Jefferson Ave. Salem, Mass. 01970

VOLUME XVII, No.5

Acadian Flag Is 100 Years Old

Marie Babineau (Mrs. Alphee Belliveau) is to the Acadians what Betsy Ross is to Americans and their flag. She is credited with the making of the first Acadian tri-color with gold star in 1884 after LaSocite St. Jean Baptiste de Quebec had moved for a national holiday for Acadians. The first stirrings of that movement had been four years earlier in 1880 when August 15 was decided upon.

It was in those years that Acadians wanted to stand out amongst their Canadian counterparts. It was the first time Acadians were assem­bling since the dispersion at Grand Pre. Julie Albert, author of a Madawaska history prepared for that town's Centennial in 1969, wrote "the star is symbolic of Mary, Stella Maris, who guided the outcasts through storms and sufferings. The blue field it rests upon represents the, persons consecrated to her; while the papal colors, gold and white, show their inviolable attachment to the Holy Mother Church."

Julia DiFillin, a descend­ant of the Acadians, holds the Acadian tri-color flag.

The three vertical colors of the flag are blue, white and red. The red band is not explained but is expected to be remnant of the mariners attachment to the motherland across the Atlantic Ocean in France. The blue band, upon which rests the gold star, is a touch of Mary and more of the Acadians attachment to her.

The flag, since 1884 and even before possibly in the minds of these outcast people, became a, rallying point for the

Donated by Mark Liss to NAVA 1988

SEPTEMBER·OCTOBER 1984

dispersed. They were in Prince Edward Islands, in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and down the eastern seaboard of the fledgling United States.

Since 1978, when the flag flew over Maine's capital on Acadian Day­June 28, the flag has become a rallying point of Acadians in the St.

. John's Valley and its Acadian Festival. Every spring, shortly after May 1, the flag starts ap­pearing atop buildings,

. on flagpoles and in many windows.

As Acadian Festival week comes closer the number of nags multiply. It .has made its way, in a few short years,

from a banner that a few could relate to one that is known across the state of Maine and the Province of New Brunswick.

It has taken its place in the Acadian Festival and become the rallying point of modern Acadians as it had become for Acadians rallying to themselves in 1883 . During the festival itself, the flag will adorn churches, businesses, streets and _ prows of canoes making the annual symbolic crossing of the St. John River to the flats at St. David Village.

The Acadian Flag is the fabled Acadie.

REAGAN COAT OF ARMS - rhis coat of arms, discovered by genealogist Hugh Peskett in Paris. was certified to John O'Rea­gan. a distant cousin of President Ronald Reagan, in 1712. These are the arms of the O'Reagans who descend from Riagain. nephew of King Brian Bom of Ireland. UPI PHOTO

Notes from Grace Rogers Cooper . NAVA President

Martin Francis wants you to know he is a Collector. For more than ten years he has collected flags, posters, charts, photos, and other educational material.relating to the United Stat~s flag and to U.S. history. But he does not collect just for his own pleasure, he uses his collection to stimulate interest in the history of the flag. Martin has set up extensive displays in a number of public places in his home area of San Leandro, California ... libraries, schools, city hall, department stores, and so forth. For his efforts he has received the Freedoms Foundation Award and the Valley Forge Honor Certificate. Martin will be attending NAVA 18 and setting up an exhibit of his collection. He will be happy to tell you about what he has done, in Vancouver, orwrite to him 964 Dowling Blvd., San Leandro, CA 04577. Thanks Martin for letting us know what you are doing, Vexillologically speaking.

NAVA 19 BRINGS ITS '85 INTERNATIONAL FLAG SHOW TO KANSAS CITY And PAHDNER ... Kansas City is countin' on YOU. Bring the family ... or a friend ... or both, and come enjoy a quickie vacation right here in the big middle of the U.S.A., where the WEST really began. K.C.'s RAMADA INN SOUTHEAST has 50 spacious rooms set aside for NAVAs and their guests. Lovely, English-style RAMADA SOUTHEAST, at 1-435 & 87th, is snuggled between SWOPE PARK ... the second largest city park anywhere ... and BENJA­MIN STABLES "TRAIL TOWN" (in case you have a hankerin' to saddle up, Pahdner). You won't believe

. you're only minutes from downtown. NOTE: To take advantage of special NAVA rates, for October 11th, 12th, & 13th, 1985, you must make reservations 30 days in advance. * Reservations after September 11, will be at RAMADA's regular rates.

NAVA 19 - FRIDAY, October 11th, 1985. The excitement of greeting NEW MEMBERS and GUESTS ... the warm refurbishing of old friend­ships ... always sets the tone for our OPENING CEREMONIES. And ALWAYS, the evening is too soon over.

NAVA 19 SATURDAY, October 12th, 1985 Saturday morning we'll start with a visit to the LIBERTY MEMORIAL for a fascinating overview of Downtown K.C. Next we'll visit the home-office showplace of the World famous HALLMARK CARDS, then stop for a luncheon/lecture at the Renowned NELSON ART GALLERY.

Saturday afternoon, it's back to the RAMADA for

Flagpole refurbisher is his own sales staff CLEVELAND - Jack Burris, 47, says you have to talk

to the man at the top when you're soliciting business as a ftagpole refurbisher.Burris travels from citS' to city looking for flagpoles in need of repair. He goes to the person in charge of the building and asks for the job. lie says it's usually easy to get work if you get past the secretary who wants to know, "Do you have an appOintment?" or "What do you want to see him about?" Burris says his master­pieces include poles at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Senate Omce Building and the National Geographic Society, all in Washington, D.C.

from: USA TODAY (6 August 1984)

NAVA 18 VANCOUVER British Columbia October 5, 6, 7, 1984

Saturday Evenin', we'll circle the wagons for a real finger-lickin' WESTERN BARBEQUE at Benjamin Stables Trail. Town (Hay-wagons will pick us up at the RAMADA, really). Casual-wear will be in order and should include a jacket or sweater ... just in case. For a small extra charge, family and guests rl1ay enjoy the Barbeque with us NAVAs. Family members and guests of registered NAVAs will have access to indoor swimming, horseback riding (instructors, if necessary), and a nearby super shopping mall complete with fun center and theatres.

Lak ah say ... Pahdner ... KANSAS CITY is lookin' for YOU:

*NAVA Special, $42 plus tax, single or double. occupancy.

Woody Ridgway

the laborwe love ... FLAGS ... and MORE FLAGS. Ramada Inn Southeast

PaQe 2 NAVA NEWS/SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER1984

Hags,-,and How,to Use Them from: THE SCOTTISH MERCHANT

By Sir Crispin Agnew of Lachnaw, Bt Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms

One of the most colourful and effective ways to use heraldry is to fly the appropriate flags. National flags can be seen in abundance, but unfortunately many armigers are reluctant to fly the flags to which they are entitled. This article aims to encourage the use of more heraldic flags.

First a few technical terms. The "hoist" is the­height of the flag next to the flag pole, and the f1y"the length of the flag flying away from the pole. Different flags have technical names.

The primary flag is the "banner" or oblong flag wi1ich depicts the devices on the shield of arms on a square or oblong flag. It does not display the crest, helmet or motto in addition to the shield. The square banner varying in size from 4 ft. square for a Duke, to 3 ft. square for a non-titled chief, is restricted to persons of "banner" rank. In medieval warfare a knight below "banner" rank, who carried the long pennon flag, could be promoted to a "knight-ban· neret" by having his pennon cut square to a banner shape.

Any person who is armigerous is entitled to use his arms on an upright oblong banner, where the width is 2/3 the height of the hoist. This is the appropriate shape for carrying in procesSions and at clan gather· ings. The correct sizes have been laid down by the Lyon Court at 4 ft. x 5 ft. for Pers, 3 ft. x 3 ft., 9 in., for barons,2 ft., 9 in. x 3 ft., 6 in. for Chiefs, and 2 ft., 6 in. x 3 ft., for chieftains and others.

The bann!!r is the flag, which indicates a person's actual presence below the banner. At highland games it is appropriate that the visiting chiefs banner should be carried round the field with him,

. thu:;; indicating (by virtue of the barmer waving above the crowd's heads) his actual location.

The shield of arms can also be used as a house flag, as a car pennant or as the burgee for a yacht. The appropriate measurements are 4 ft. x 5 ft., for a house flag (depending on the size of the masion) and the car _and yacht flags scaled down in the same proportions. Almost every Scottish castle flies its

The Banner of Prince Charles as "Lord of the Isles," Photo cour­testy of the Court of the Lord Lyon.

owner's house flag, when he is in residence, in the same way that the Royal house flag flies over Buck­ingham Palace or Holyroodhouse, when the Sover­eign is in residence.-

A pipe banner should consist of the shield of arms only displayed on the face of the flag, which pres­ently is often of a fishtailed or rounded endshape. However, many families, and in particular Scottish P.egiments, use the full achievement on the banner, making it into an "ensign."

The most spectacular flag is the Standard, with its dimiilUtive derivatives, the guidon and pennon. The Standard is restricted to those of Chiefly or Baronial rank. It is that long flag varying between 21 ft. long for a Duke to 12 ft. long for a non-titled chief, with a height of about 2 or 3 ft. in the hoist. The actual format is laid down by the Lord Lyon in the grant, but basically it has the chiefs arms or the St. An­drew's flag in the hoist and the chiefs motto and badges on the fly.

The standard is the flag, which should be flown at his headquarters to indicate the location of Clan HQ, irrespective of the actual location of the chief. Thus during the International Gatherings of the Clans in Edinburgh, the standards where flown in Princess Street to indicate that the clans had moved their HQ's to Edinburgh for the week. It would be

(July-August 1984) appropriate to fly the standards of visiting chiefs at highland games to indicate that for the duration, the chief had moved his HQ to that games.

The Guidon and Pennon are flags, similar in shape and design to the standard, but shorter. The 8 ft.­Guidon is restricted to clan chieftains and non-ba­roniallairds, while the pennon, which is about 5 ft. in length, is available to all other armigers. It must be remembered that the standard, guidon and pennon are additions to arms, which can only be used after they have been the subject of a separate grant from the Lord Lyon.

A most important flag is the Pinsel, which is the flag granted to a clan chief, which he authorises his. Commander or Commissioner to fly on his behalf, indicating that the Commissioner is acting with his chiefs authority. The Pinsel is a triangular flag, 4 ft., 6 in. x 2 ft. high, which displays the crest badge, within the belt and buckle, surrounded by a gold circlet on which is written the chiefs title. In the fly appears the clan plant badge, surmounted by the clan battle cry or rallying place. Than clan commissioner should fly the pinsel on all official occasions to indicate the headquarters of the clan under his jurisdiction, in the absence of the chief. At highland games the Com­missioner should fly the pinsel above the clan tent to indicate his headquarters, or in minature on the clan table at a dinner or ball, where the commissioner is presiding at the clan table. The pinsel should not be flown by the commissioner, when the Chief is pres: ent at the function, because the commissioner's au­thority has ceased, while the chief is present in person.

There are other exotic flags such as streamers and gonfa\lon,s, with heraldic vanes and banderolles, but these have specialist uses, which need not can· cern the majority of armigers. Flags are beautiful, colourful and informative to the initiated, so why hot use the heraldic flag more often? To the clan, the chiefs banner, standard or pinsel should be as emo­tive as the "Stars and Stripes" are to any citizen of the United States. Let the banners fly proudly!

PIZZA: The Flag Connection from: THE SALEM EVENING NEWS (Salem, Mass.) 25 August 1984

q(ODAY. PIZZA 1'3 ONE or:- IHE: MOS'f POPu/...AR DISHEOS AMONG­

AMeRICANS - _

__ The earliest form of pizza dates -back to the Stone Age, when the Etruscans of northern Italy ate a crude. flat bread- that they flavored with a variety of toppings after bak­ing it. Hundreds of years later, the Greeks brought the dish one step closer to the pizza we know when they began to bake the bread with the topping already in place.

In the 18th century, the Neapolitans of Italy introduced the tomato as a pizza topping. Until that time, tomatoes were thought to have been poisonous. Not long after the Neapolitans discovered that tomatoes were safe to eat and delicious, they became a standard ingredient in pizza recipes.

The familiar cheese pizza did not appear until about 100 years ago. One Raffaele Esposito made a pizza topped with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese for the queen. He chose these ingredients for the topping because their colors represented the red, green and white of the Italian flag.

Pizza came to America with the wave of Italian imtnigrants around the turn of the century. The first pizza shop in America opened in New York in 1905. The popularity of pizzerias spread, especially in the northeast, where many Italians settl­ed. The dish became popular on a nationwide basis right after World War II due, in part, to the demand created by returning U.S. servicemen who had eaten pizza in Italy. Today, pizza is one of the most popular dishes among Americans.

_ - Ron Berthel 8/25

NAVA NEWS/SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1984 Page 3

Licenses taken witlt symbol from: THE VANCOUVER COURIER (28 March 1984)

Be flag not so proud I t

Have you ever glanced uneasily at our British Col­umbia flag and felt that there was something odd about it-:-something not quite ... right?

If you have, then rest assured that you are at least justified.

Word has come from the Flag Shop that the BC Flag -the proud symbol of our glorious province-is pro­portioned all wrong.

When WAC. Bennett de­creed that it should be in proportions of 3:5. That meant that if the flag was 10 feet long, it would be six feet wide and would thus be proportioned properly (see figure one).

But something went wrong. When Eastern Can­adian manufacturers fitted

, theflagstotheirsilkscreens

~I~ ~~7ffif;ri~~,: ~,... ",i';

"'C."'>..\-~ ~ .!'_ . .: _._ ... , _ .oJ

Fig-. 1

they made them in propor­tions of 2:1. This meant that if the flag was 10 feet long, it would only be five feet wide and would be out of proportion (see figure two).

~ ~I.~

~ Fig. 2

The missing foot in width creates some odd effects. I n the correct flag, the wavy lines depicting the Pacific Ocean are properly spaced,

North American Vexillological Association Oaks, PA 19456

Page 4 NAVA NEWS/SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1984

the sun's rays are long and the Union Jack atthe top is correctly proportioned.

In the incorrect flag, how­ever, the lines are crowded together, the rays are short­ened, and the Union Jack is stretched out of proportion.

There have been other unnecessarylicensestaken with our flag over the years. A black line has been add­ed to the base of the sun's rays (figure two) and black has been added to the of­ficial flag colours of blue, red and yellow as a border wherever two colours over­:dP·

Thechangein proportion came about, it seems, be­cause the Canadian flag was designed with propor­tions of 2:1 and all the pro­vincial flags were made to matct').

Now, the Canadian flag looks fine at 2:1-that was the way it was designed. Our flag, however, looks odd.

Protocol demands that no flag flying on the same level as the Canadian flag can be larger in size but this does not mean the flag must be ofthesame propor­tions.

The Flag Shop has writ­ten to Jim Chabot, Minister of Government Services, informing him of the error in our flag.

Hopefully it will be recti­fied before Expo 86, when the world arrives to witness our wounded symbol. But until something is done, we shall just have to suffer in silence every time our poor flag is raised above us.

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Oaks, PA

Permit No.9

Address Correction Requested Return Postage Guaranteed

MARK A. LISS D/B/A HERITAGE FLAG CO. P.O. BOX 31521 HOUSTON. TX 77231

NORTH AMERICAN VEXILLOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

When NAVA's Membership List was compiled, several listings were inadvertently left out. Please note that the following should be included:

BRANNON, CHARLES ERIC 435 MARTHA ST., COTTAGE HALL MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36104

FAIRBANKS, DANIEL 5372 COULTER LANE OXFORD, OHIO 45056

FALLON, JOSEPH E. 131 PURCHASE STREET RYE, NEW YORK 10580

FALLOWS, TIMOTHY JOHN 224 SKIPTON ROAD HARROGATE HGl 3HB ENGLAND.

FERRIGAN III, JAMES ~. 365 2ND AVE., *6 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. 94118

FLAGS INTERNATIONAL 10845 U.S. HIGHWAY 20 OSCEOLA, INDIANA 46561

FL.ICHER, ANDRE 35 RUE PARISIS F 28160 DREUX, FRANCE

FRANCIS, MARTIN AMERICAN FLAGS & HISTORY 964 DOWLING BLVD. SAN LEANDRO, CALIF. 94577

FRANKE, PAUL C. CHIEF PETTY OfFICER 4280 SALT LAKE BLVD. HONOLULU, HAWAII 96818

FUHR, SCOTT 4019 LLYDE LANE MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA .36106

NAVA NEWS INSERT Sept/Oct '84