Flag of Indonesia

Flag origins

Indonesia’s simple flag has red above white. It is called Merah Putih, Red and White; the historic independence flag is particularly known as Sang Saka Merah Putih. Red generally represents courage and white purity or sacredness. These colors have deep roots rather than being invented in 1945. Government cultural institutions describe their presence in earlier traditions, especially the Majapahit kingdom’s nine alternating red and white stripes. The present bicolour was flown at the independence declaration on August 17, 1945. The first flag was sewn by Fatmawati, President Sukarno’s wife, and is preserved by the presidency.

Flag story

Indonesia’s flag looks almost identical to Monaco’s: red above white, without an emblem. Their official ratios differ, however: 2:3 for Indonesia and 4:5 for Monaco, which is squarer. Neither simply copied the other: Indonesia’s colors connect with traditions such as Majapahit, Monaco’s with the Grimaldi arms. The historic independence flag also has an unusual survival story. When Dutch forces invaded Yogyakarta in 1948, Husein Mutahar unpicked its seam and hid the red and white cloths in separate bags to prevent capture. They were sewn together again afterward.

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.

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

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