Harkema / De Harkema, 4283 inhabitants, used to be a long village in the
17th/18th century "Harkema-Opeynde". Somehow this village disappeared,
but south of it appeared a settlement on the heather-fields, with very
simple dwellings. This settlement became the village of Harkema-Opeinde,
later renamed to Harkema. The inhabitants are known to be a little rough
but religious; its soccer-team Harkemase Boys (Never On Sunday!) is a feared
adversary and just became champion in their Saturday first-class league.
The lion on the Coat of Arms and flag of Harkema is derived from the arms of
the Harckema family, as it occurs in a churchbench in Augustinusga. Buwe
Harckema, the first with that name, did not have arms yet, when he founded
the Buwe-monastery in Frogeham. The monastery was very important for this
region, especially regarding peat-digging. The red color reminds of heather,
the peat-block of the peat-digging and the acorn of the oaks and the Friese
Wouden in general.
Source: Wapens en vlaggen in de gemeente Achtkarspelen, Buitenpost,
1999.
![[Harkema flag]](../images/n/nl-fr_hk.gif)
Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net
![[Harkema Coat of Arms]](../images/n/nl-fr)hk.jpg)
from the Achtkarspelen municipal
website.
