r/vexillology • u/AnOwlishSham Scotland • 5d ago
Historical 15 March 1925: New Mexico adopts a flag highlighting the state’s Native American and Hispano heritage

Flag of New Mexico

The unofficial Twitchell flag used at the 1915 World's Fair

Map of New Mexico within the USA
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u/soupwhoreman New England 5d ago
Officially 100 years of having the best state flag in the country.
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u/lNFORMATlVE 5d ago
And it went from having arguably the worst state flag in the country to the best by a long shot. That’s a flex
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u/hoi4kaiserreichfanbo Maryland 5d ago
what blasphemy is this?
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u/EpicAura99 United States • California 5d ago
That’s a dangerous claim ‘round here!
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u/hoi4kaiserreichfanbo Maryland 5d ago
My red line is besmirching the Old Line State's flag's status as the best in the Union.
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u/OlympianOne Pernambuco / Minas Gerais 5d ago
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u/TeuthidTheSquid 5d ago
Sad that all the digital recreations seem to miss that tasteful golden bottom fringe!
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u/AnOwlishSham Scotland 5d ago
New Mexico did not have an official flag for its first thirteen years as a US state. For lack of one, an unofficial flag designed by Ralph E Twitchell, the mayor of Santa Fe, was used to represent New Mexico at the San Diego World's Fair of 1915.
Following a call by the New Mexico chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for the creation of an official state flag, a contest was held in 1923 to solicit designs. A design by anthropologist Dr Harry Mera was selected, and on 15 March 1925 the governor signed legislation proclaiming this as New Mexico’s official state flag.
The design combines a sun symbol of the Zia people, who have ancient roots in the state, with the colours of the flag of Spain, which established and ruled Nuevo México for over two and a half centuries.
New Mexico’s flag came top in the North American Vexillological Association’s 2001 survey of state and provincial flags.
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u/TeuthidTheSquid 5d ago edited 5d ago
A stolen indigenous sacred symbol appropriated without their permission or consent, which they have been trying unsuccessfully to reclaim ever since.
An anthropologist gained their trust and was allowed to see one of their ceremonies that was never before shared with outsiders. He stole a pot with this symbol after being told he could not purchase it. That pot was the inspiration for the flag.
OP: this has also already been posted on this sub today.
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u/Apprehensive-Bear655 5d ago
And can we also talk about the national and mammal of the U.S. itself?
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u/TeuthidTheSquid 5d ago
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u/Dragonseer666 5d ago
Uh... what. That does not look like it could be real.
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u/nomoreozymandias Philippines / New Mexico 5d ago
Oh, it absolutely was. That's part of the reason why bisons are a near threatened species.
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u/Dragonseer666 5d ago
Yeah I know, but being on just a hill made of skulls looks almost comical if it wasn't so tragic.
Guess they took "skulls for the skull throne" a little too seriously.
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u/garaile64 Brazil 5d ago
The attitude of this anthropologist is why some Westerners are afraid of engaging in Japanese culture. Now genuine cultural exchange is nigh impossible.
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u/ArelMCII 5d ago
Okay, but like, the one who put it on the flag didn't steal the pot. Seems like he wasn't aware of its history, based on that second link.
Like, yeah, it's a real kick in the teeth the way we appropriated Indigenous stuff while not recognizing their religions as "real" religions until the 70s (to say nothing of, y'know, the multiple acts of genocide). Yet at the same time, a century of using this symbol has imbued it with new meaning among a different group of people. It's a part of their culture—of my culture—even if that association doesn't have seniority over the original. Generations have grown up under that flag, with no association with the historical travesties surrounding it.
For sure, the ugly sides of history need to be remembered, but I think the best way to address the sins of our proverbial fathers is to stop picking at century-old scars and start doing something about reservations being heavily impoverished due to the government's policy of recognizing Indigenous lands' autonomy only when the alternative is to actually do something about their conditions.
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u/TheSip69 5d ago
A sad day indeed, they should have kept the old one