American Samoa
The blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side, represents - you guessed it - the Pacific Ocean, fringed by an erubescent sunset. But read on, for the winged creature offers us a philological and cultural history lesson. When the island of Tutuila was first sighted by American troops stationed there in WWII, they enquired of the canoe-bound natives as to what it was called in the local tongue. “It’s a moa”, cried the islanders, following the G.I.s’ fingers to the flock of birds inking the horizon. “No.” replied staff-sergeant Herrin-Gaid, “It’s American’s a moa.” Thus was the dependency misnamed after a sorry subspecies, fuck-all to become of it thereafter.The mace and staff stand for valiance and fortitude.
This entry was posted on Sunday, August 29th, 2004 at 9:29 AM and filed under Collins Gem book of flags, Old stuff. Trackbacks are closed.
You forgot to mention that the triangle is also a perfect isoceles which sailors can use to navigate the stars during autumn months when candles are liable to be blown out.
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Posted on 30-Aug-04 at 4:02 am | PermalinkI have to think about a gritoland flag before you do…
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Posted on 30-Aug-04 at 5:05 am | Permalinkmenace .. what is your current geographical location as you read this entry anyway? You are a mystery to me. That is why I keep coming back to your blog - to try to see if I can gather more info on you … :oD
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Posted on 30-Aug-04 at 11:04 am | PermalinkI am feeling very dense indeed. I hadn’t even guessed that the blue represented the Pacific Ocean. Even my excitement at the word “erubescent” has not driven all disappointment in myself out of my sievelike brain. I am blushing at how I missed the symbolism of the red line in the design as well.
Damn dense Americans!
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Posted on 31-Aug-04 at 4:00 am | Permalinkactually dear, you are not entirely correct….an american samoa is also a form of girl scout cookie, thin wafer like cookie, covered in chocolate, topped with toasted coconut and caramel like substance, drizzled in…you guessed it-more chocolate.
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Posted on 31-Aug-04 at 5:02 am | PermalinkI think your’ll find this to be true. The island were going to be called American Samosa, as the outline of the land, as seen by the eagle on it’s flag, resembled a meat samosa. However when they went to register the name, the chap with the pen got slightly distracted, forgot the second S and hey presto, American Samoa got it’s name.
Also the implements in the claws of the eagle are infact utensils used in the making of the tasty trinagular food, samosas.
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Posted on 31-Aug-04 at 6:01 pm | Permalinkjimi is right. That’s not mace - it’s curry leaves …..
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Posted on 31-Aug-04 at 8:01 pm | PermalinkSome interesting observations, there. I wonder if lexy’s cookie could be related to jimi’s samosa?* negrito should remember that the one thing a flag needs is symbolism, and buckets of it, just as pog needs buckets of curry leaves. elsie and d_f ought never to feel dense or mystified when preceded by the invariably preposterous silveretta.
*fnarr fnarr
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Posted on 01-Sep-04 at 5:04 am | PermalinkOooh - ‘invariably preposterous …’. Fab. I may borrow that, if you don’t mind ….
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Posted on 01-Sep-04 at 6:03 pm | PermalinkThank you silveretta, I’ve been looking for someone to make me feel less dense and mystified my whole life. It’s a big job, I hope you are really up to it.
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Posted on 01-Sep-04 at 9:03 pm | PermalinkSimplelsie - it’s the only job for which I am truly qualified.
Menace - how dare you accuse me of being reliable?
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Posted on 01-Sep-04 at 10:02 pm | Permalink