Flag of Barbados

Flag origins

Barbados has three vertical bands, blue, yellow and blue, with a black broken trident at the center. Ultramarine represents the surrounding sea and sky, while the central gold or yellow band represents the island’s sandy beaches. The trident is based on that of Neptune, the sea god of classical mythology. A trident also appeared in the colonial arms, but the shaft on the modern flag is broken, symbolizing the break with British colonial rule and independence. The Broken Trident has become a national symbol beyond the flag itself.

Flag story

The flag was adopted on November 30, 1966, when Barbados became independent from Britain. A public design competition attracted 1,029 entries, and the winner was art teacher Grantley W. Prescod. Prescod recalled developing about fourteen proposals before arriving at the final design. Contemporary newspaper accounts say he submitted it only fifteen minutes before the deadline. The teacher’s last proposal thus rose above more than a thousand entries to become the face of the country.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• Barbados — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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