But what the heck is this stuff?
#5 Tajikistan
What is that thing? A bottle opener?
Supposedly, this is a “stylized crown.” Sorry, but I’m just not seeing it.
Here, though, is an explanation (from someone on FOTW):
The word 'tojik', which is the root of the countries name 'Tojikiston' comes from the Persian word 'toj' meaning a 'crown'. Tojik, therefore, means the person that wears a crown. From what I have heard, the Tojik nation comes from a group of a very well-known warriors (at that time) that wore crowns. Hence, they were called 'Tojikon' (Tajiks in English).
If you’re like me and can’t keep your Stans straight, Tajikistan is the little one, up in the mountains just north of Afghanistan.
#4 Kyrgyzstan
Bocci balls look like this, don’t they? So, I guess this is a flaming bocci ball, no?
Would you believe it’s a yurt? I don’t know, I guess from above maybe. Or perhaps from inside. Not totally sure why it’s on fire. Honestly, I was pretty sure it was going to be some kind of sun. Go figure.
Kyrgystan? It’s the next biggest one, and is itself right on top of Tajikistan. Mountainous as well, it actually has fewer people than its southern neighbor – 5.7M to 8.7M.
#3 Mongolia
Except for that flaming thing at the top, all that business over on the left looks more like something some 2-year-old put together with a set of blocks.
Would you believe that thing has a name? Yup, it’s a “soyombo,” and represents the following:
Its origins are closely associated with Lamaism, and the various elements of the design were regarded as having mystical meanings. Individually, parts of the design also may be related to brands of ownership placed on horses and cattle. The fire symbol has multiple significance. It represents revival and growth, and also the family hearth and the continuity of the people. The fire has three tongues of flame, symbolizing past, present, and future. Below the fire are symbols of the sun and moon, links to the pre-Buddhist nature religion of the Mongols. In ancient Mongolian symbolism, an arrow or spear pointing to the ground meant death. In the soyombo, two downward-pointing triangles signify death to the enemies of the Mongols. Two horizontal rectangles represent honesty and fairness between rulers and the people. Set between the two horizontal rectangles is the Chinese sign of yin and yang, representing dark and light, female and male, cold and hot – the unity of all opposites in the cosmos. In Mongolian symblism, the figures in the yin-yang circle represent two fish which, because fish never close their eyes, signify reason and wisdom. The two vertical rectangles represent a fortress, recalling the old Mongolian proverb "The friendship of two men is stronger than stone walls." The symbol of the fortress signifies that the unity of the Mongol people is the foundation of the nation's strength. (Flags of the World)
Whew! I’m exhausted.
#2 Northern Mariana Islands
Did they win a contest for best island or something? Also, what is that wreath made of:
- Popcorn
- Deviled eggs
- ???
So, that trophy? It’s actually a “latte stone.” No, that has nothing to do with Starbucks. Instead, it’s “a pillar capped by a hemispherical stone capital (tasa) with the flat side facing up. Used as building supports by the ancient Chamorro people, they are found throughout most of the Mariana Islands” (Wikipedia).
The popcorn / deviled eggs / whatever? Why, it’s a mwarmwa. But of course! What’s a mwarmwa? Other than its being a “decorative wreath,” I’m afraid I couldn’t find that much.
The Northern Mariana Islands? Just a bunch of atolls in the Western Pacific, basically a territory of the US.
#1 Isle of Man
Hard to believe, but this thing has a name too. It’s called a “triskelion.” It’s from an ancient pattern that usually emphasizes the swirly pattern, and less so the human limbs:
Interestingly, there’s actually a flag out there that’s identical to the Isle of Man’s, but with a face in the middle – it’s a traditional flag for the island of Sicily:
More links:
No comments:
Post a Comment