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image by Bruce Berry, 08 Feb 2007
A new flag for Orania was adopted in 2004 which is in the former
South African national colours of orange, white and
blue. The flag is divided vertically, with a blue stripe nearest the hoist which
is approximately 25% of the length of the flag, and an orange stripe comprising
the remainder of the fly. Superimposed on the divide between the two colours is
a figure of a boy rolling up his sleeves in white.
According to the Orania Beweging, the colours are indicative of their
ancestors and history, which are also to be found in the Prinzenvlag of the
Netherlands (1570), then later in the flags of the Orange
Free State, the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and
finally in the former national flag of South Africa
(1928-1994). The colours on the new flag of Orania have been reversed to that of
blue, white and orange to symbolise a fresh beginning - a re-evaluation of the
current situation
in which the "volk" (people) find themselves.
The white figure so placed to overlap the blue and orange. Blue is symbolic of
heaven, of faith and of devotion. It also represents innocence, truth,
determination, justice and charity. White symbolises purity and peace with
orange symbolising freedom, energy, protection and honour. Orange is also the
symbolic colour of Orania.
The little boy rolling up his sleeves represents freedom through hard work. "By
rolling up our sleeves and getting down to work we are building our own future".
The message of the flag is that with steadfastness, and with faith,
self-determination and peace, the people of Orania can take their first steps
towards their own freedom.
Autonomy and self-reliance is still strived for by Oranians, justifying their
claim upon Chapter 14 Section 235 of the Constitution of South Africa which
states:
"The right of the South African people as a whole to self-determination, as
manifested in this Constitution, does not preclude, within the framework of this
right, recognition of the notion of the right to self-determination of any
community sharing a common cultural and language heritage, within a territorial
entity in the Republic or in any other way, determined by national legislation".
This is not the official flag of the local authority in which Orania is
situated, but is flown by many in Orania who align themselves with the idea of
seeking self-determination for the area.
Bruce Berry, 08 February 2007
In today's paper edition of Göteborgs-Posten there is a short article
about the South African town of Orania that hopes for some kind of autonomy or
independence. Of what the paper reports, there are no new information compared
to the text provided below. I am, however, curious why the paper report of their
hope of autonomy today. Has the situation changed or is there an up coming
election concerning the status of the area?
Christian Berghänel, 06 Dec 2006
I don't know where that paper got its facts from, but from the local news media
it would appear that the only situation that has changed in the recent
past concerning Orania, is that the Land Claims Court has yesterday recognised
the right of the previous inhabitants of the area to be compensated for being
dispossessed of their land and also determined the scale of that compensation.
This land forms part of the area now owned by the Oranians. The previous owners
agreed to accept financial compensation instead of claiming the land back. The
Oranians were very relieved at this decision. They bought the property
from
the previous government, who had removed the previous inhabitants to make way
for a construction village for the Van der Kloof dam wall in the Orange River.
This village now forms the core of the Orania community - thus their great
relief. I have the impression that the autonomy dream has faded as the Oranians
came to realise that it can never be anything but a dream.
Andries Burgers, 06 Dec 2006
Yes, the report by Andre Burgers regarding the land claim is correct and has
been extensively reported in the local media here.
I was in contact with Orania Beweging recently as there is a new "town
flag" for Orania.
Further details about Orania itself can be found at
www.orania.co.za
Bruce Berry, 08 Dec 2006
![[Flag of Orania]](../images/z/za-oran.gif)
image
by Mark Sensen, 20 Oct 1997
I think the name Orania is derived from the river Oranje/Orange. The
home page of Orania shows a map. On this map of the Northern Cape Orania is
only one village southwest of where the Orange and Vaal rivers come
together. The homeland they plan for the Afrikaners is between the river Orange
River and the Atlantic Ocean, so part of the Cape, not the Free State or Transvaal.
Their flag is not totally based on that of the old Transvaal as the red is changed to orange for the
Orange Free State. According to Boere Data
the "Vryheidsvlag" or new "Vierkleur" was first hoisted in the night of
26/27 April 1994 (when the apartheid was officially abolished!). It's
not only a combination of the design of the flag of the South African
Republic (Transvaal) with the orange from the flag of Orange Free State but also
incorporates the orange-white-blue of the "Prinzenvlag"
of the "Dietse" ancestors of the Boers and the former flag of South Africa,
but with a green stripe at the hoist.
Mark Sensen, 20 Oct 1997
On the Flags of Aspirant Peoples, published in 1994 by the Flag Society
of Australia and the Flag Research Center, is the flag of "Orandia (White
homeland) - South Africa." It has vertical orange-white-blue
stripes with an emblem in the white stripe which is green ground plan of the Castle of Good Hope, outlined in grey,
and including a monument (?) on a light blue background enclosed in a white-black
hatched circle. The chart effectively shows a small black stripe at the
hoist.
Ivan Sache, 12 Sep 1999
The following description and background is from SAVA Newsletter 2/91
which carried an article and illustration of this flag.
The flag originated in the early 1990s when the "Orandia Development
Corporation" was established with the express purpose of establishing a
"white homeland" to be called Orandia in the western part of South Africa.
The town of Orania was purchased and was to be the centre of this activity.
The flag is based on the former flag of South Africa, having vertical instead
of horizontal stripes. The orange stripe represents the freedom struggle
of the people of Orandia with the white stripe standing for cleanliness
of thought, conduct and purpose. The castle outline in the centre indicates
the origin of the "white" nation in South Africa with the landing of Dutch
settlers in the Cape in 1652, with the surrounding protecting wall symbolising
the protection of the nation's seed. The castle' inner 'face' is green
to suggest life from the soil, on which the nation will multiply.
Inside the castle a closed wagon laager encircles a stylised Voortrekker
Monument (in Pretoria) symbolising the protection given to Orandia as the Nation of the
Vow. The monument serves as a reminder of the slaughter that took place
at the Battle of Blood River and of the sacrifices and perseverance of
the predecessor of Orandia. The blue stripe shows the European origins
of the forefathers of the people of Orandia and symbolises humility and
faith. The black sleeve nearest the hoist shows that Orandians are prepared
to live peaceably the people of other races and that good neighbourliness
and trade should prevail.
Bruce Berry, 10 Dec 2001
