11 November 1293 (Majapahit Empire) 28 October 1928 (standardized) 17 August 1945; 80 years ago (1945-08-17) (original) 17 August 1950; 75 years ago (1950-08-17) (official)
Thenational flag ofIndonesia isbicolor, with two horizontal bands, red (top) and white (bottom) with an overall ratio of 2:3.[1] It was introduced and hoisted in public during theproclamation of independence on 17 August 1945 at 56 Jalan Proklamasi (formerly Jalan Pegangsaan Timur) inJakarta, and again when the Dutchformally transferred sovereignty on 27 December 1949. The design of the flag has remained unchanged since.
The flag of Indonesia is graphically similar to theflag of Monaco, with a slight difference in the shade of red, and ratio of its dimensions. Theflag of Poland has similar dimensions but has the colours reversed: white on top and red on the bottom. In both Monaco's and Poland's flags, the reds are of a slightly darker shade than that of Indonesia. Theflag of Singapore has exactly the same dimensions as Indonesia's, but supplemented with a white crescent moon and five stars in a pentagram at the upper left corner of the flag, of which the red is of a slightly lighter shade.
The flag's colours are derived from the banner of the 13th centuryMajapahit Empire.[3] However, it has been suggested that the red and white symbolism can trace its origin to the older commonAustronesian mythology of the duality of Mother Earth (red) and Father Sky (white). This is why these colours appear in so many flags throughout Austronesia, fromTahiti toMadagascar.[4] The earliest records of the red and whitepanji orpataka (a long flag on a curved bamboo pole) can be found in thePararaton chronicle; according to this source, theJayakatwang troops from Gelang-Gelang hoisted the red and white banner during their invasion ofSinghasari in the early 12th century. This suggests that even before the Majapahit era, the red and white colours were already revered and used as the kingdom's banner in theKediri era (1042 –c. 1222).
Red and white textile colouring was available in ancient Indonesia. White is the natural colour of woven cotton fabrics, while red is one of the earliestnatural dyes, acquired from eitherteak leaves,[5] the flowers ofAverrhoa bilimbi, or the skin ofmangosteen fruits.[6]
It was not only the Javanese kingdoms that used red and white. The battle flag of KingSi Singamangaraja IX ofBatak lands bore an image of white twin swords calledpiso gaja dompak against a red background.[7] During theAceh War of 1873–1904, Aceh warriors used a battle flag with the image of a sword, star and crescent, sun, and someQuranic script in white on a red background.[8] The red and white flag of the Buginese Bone kingdom inSouth Sulawesi is calledWoromporang.[9] TheBalinese Badung (Puri Pamecutan) royal banner is red, white, and black.[10] PrinceDiponegoro also used a red and white banner during theJava War (1825–1830).
Perhimpoenan Indonesia's banteng flag from theGedenkboek: 1908-1923 cover
In the early 20th century, these colours were revived by students and then nationalists as an expression of nationalism against theDutch. A precursor design was first seen on the cover of a Dutch magazine titledGedenkboek 1908-1923 run by thePerhimpoenan Indonesia ('Indonesian Association'). Compiling 13 letters written by its anonymous members, it had a sinister hoisted flag of a red and white stripe superimposed with the head of abanteng facing away from the hoist.[11] The modern red and white flag sans banteng head was first flown inJava in 1928, it was quickly prohibited underDutch rule. It became the flag adopted by theKesatuan Melayu Muda to symboliseMalay nationalism againstEuropean colonialism, now widely named as theSang Saka Malaya. Upon Indonesia's declaration of independence on 17 August 1945, it was adopted as the national flag, and has been in use ever since.[12] After Indonesia's independence was recognized,Monaco, which had asimilar flag, filed a complaint which was largely ignored.[13]
A moment after the blue stripe of aDutch flag was torn off to make an Indonesian flag at the Hotel Yamato (nowHotel Majapahit),Surabaya
The flag featured in a well-known incident during theIndonesian War of Independence when during the lead-up to theBattle of Surabaya in late 1945, Indonesian youths removed a colonialDutch flag flying over theYamato Hotel, tore off the blue strip and re-hoisted it as an Indonesian flag. The hotel was subsequently renamed briefly asHotel Merdeka, meaning "independence hotel".[14]
According to Article 35 of the1945 Constitution, the official name of the flag isSang Saka Merah-Putih. The flag is commonly calledBendera Merah-Putih ('Red-and-White Flag'). Occasionally, it is also calledSang Dwiwarna ('The Bicolour').Sang Saka Merah-Putih refers to the historical flag calledBendera Pusaka ('Heirloom Flag') and its replica. TheBendera Pusaka is the flag that was flown in front ofSukarno's house after he proclaimed Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945. The originalBendera Pusaka was sewn byFatmawati and was hoisted every year in front of theMerdeka Palace during the independence day ceremony. It was hoisted for the last time on 17 August 1968. Since then it has been preserved and replaced by a replica since the original flag was deemed to be too fragile.[1]
Several opinions have been expressed on the meaning of the red and white in the Indonesian flag. One of them is that the red stands for courage, while the white stands for purity. Another opinion is that red represents the human body or physical life, while white represents thesoul orspiritual life; together they stand for a complete human being.[12]
Hanging version of the Indonesia flagPaskibraka personnel raising the flag of Indonesia at Independence Day every yearAn Indonesia Flag raising on office buildingFlag of Indonesia usage on Cultural Parade atMonas
The raising of the flag should be conducted in the time betweensunrise untilsunset, but in certain circumstances, it can be done at night. In daily use, the flag should be flown at every commemoration such asIndonesian Independence Day on 17 August every year, by thecitizens who have a right to use it at home, building or office, schools, colleges, public and private transport and the representative office of Indonesia in overseas.[22]
The flag must be displayed every day in places such as thePresidential Palace, government and private office buildings, border posts and outer islands in the territory of Indonesia, and the National Heroes Cemetery.[22]
The flag should be displayed everywhere on special days, which are:[19]
30 September, in remembrance of the30 September Movement. After theFall of Suharto and the end of theNew Order in 1998, this tradition was stopped. However, the tradition of half-masting the flag on this day has been restarted in recent years.[23]
Article 24 of Law No. 24/2009 on Flags, Language, National Symbols, and Anthems, states that people are prohibited from:[19]
destroying, tearing, trampling, burning, or performing other actions with the intention to tarnish, insult, or degrade the honour of the national flag;
using the national flag for billboards or commercials;
flying the national flag if it is damaged, torn, smudged, crumpled, or faded;
printing on, embroidering or adding letters, numbers, images or other signs, or adding badges or any objects to the national flag;
using the national flag to cover a ceiling or roof, or for wrapping or covering goods in a way that can degrade the honor of the national flag.
Article 66 and 67 of Law No. 24/2009 states that anyone who commits any of these prohibited acts may be punishable with imprisonment for up to five years or be subject to a fine of up to five hundred million rupiah.[19]
^Smith, Whitney (9 February 2001)."Flag of Indonesia".britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved19 August 2019.
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