I'm trying real hard not to make an inappropriate joke about Kool-Aid* this week kids, because we're heading down to South America to take a look at the flag of Guyana!
Known as 'The Golden Arrow' for it's golden arrowhead that flies across the green field it was adopted on May 20th, 1966 for national and civil usage- it was designed by American Vexillologist Whitney Smith (man, how do you break into that field of employment? I would love to be a professional vexillologist) and originally had a red field and not a green field but upon independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, the College of Arms changed the field to green and added the black and white fimbriations on the red triangle and golden arrow.
'The Golden Arrow' of the flag represents a brighter future for the country while the color yellow is symbolic of mineral wealth. The green represents the vast forests and fields while red recalls the people's dynamism and zeal for reform.
To be honest, I don't know much about Guyana but the reader's digest version: originally consisting of three Dutch colonies of Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara the British assumed control of the region formally uniting the three colonies in 1814 under the name of British Guiana. Interestingly enough, Guyana is considered part of the Anglophone Caribbean- being the only country in the Caribbean that's not an island- it's also officially named the Cooperative Republic of Guyana...
And now you know the 4-1-1 on Guyana- or at least a little more than you did yesterday. Unless you're reading this and happen to be from Guyana or have been to Guyana in which case you probably knew all that stuff anyway. Either way, put your hands together and give it up for Guyana!
And remember, until next time, keep your flags flying- FREAK or otherwise!
*Yeah, that Jonestown Massacre that happened back in the 70s? Jonestown was in Guyana- but I didn't want to pigeonhole a country I know very little about for a cheap and probably inappropriate laugh.
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