National Flag of Kazakhstan
Flag is one of symbols of any state, personifying its identity and the sovereignty. The national flag represents the panel of the correct geometrical form attached to a staff (flagstaff). From ancient times the flag carried out functions of association of people of the country and its identification with the certain state formation.
The oldest flag concerns approximately to 3000 century B.C., it has been found in territory of Iran. It is a metal design in the size 23×23 centimeter with the image of the eagle, two lions, the goddesses, three women and the bull.
If to consider symbolic of the states having uniform historical, and consequently, the symbolical past it is necessary to note, that the image of totem animals: griffins, golden eagles, leopards or tigers or the true satellite of the Turkic-nomad horse, meets on the majority of them. The given fact is acknowledgement of a cultural and spiritual generality of Turkic people.
There is a certificate that the Sakic-Sarmatian tribes who lived in Kazakhstan in III — VIII centuries B.C., had the banners. Nomads-guns had flags of truce, Turki, the ancestors of modern Turkic people, including Kazakhs had flags of blue, green, yellow and other colors.
The state associations of kimak and kipchak kept the continuity in symbolic. Banner of Chingizkhan represented a triangular white panel on which has been represented hunting gerfalcon — totem sorts of the great commander. The choice of color of a flag was defined by the history. Kazakhstan during almost 600 years was under authority of generation of Chingizkhan. Subsequently banners of the Kazakh khans and sultans were white. For example, till now flag of truce Ablaikhan (XVIII century) is kept in national memory. Color of a banner of the governor of Central Asia Timur, as banners of Turki, were celestial-blue.
After connection of Kazakhstan to Russia the new governments-management systems began to be spread which has rendered essential influence and on development of the state symbolic.
The Kazakh Independent Soviet Republic used the state symbols of RSFSR. Constitutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan which were accepted in 1936 and in 1978, established regulations about a flag, the arms and a hymn of Kazakh SSR. The flag represented a panel from three horizontal strips: top and bottom red color and average — Azure. A sickle and hammer were represented at the top part of it and above them there was a red five-pointed star.
In 1992 the National flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which was developed by Shaken Niyazbekov has been approved.
The National flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan represents a rectangular panel of blue color with the image in the center of the sun with beams, and there is a soaring eagle under it. There is a vertical strip with a national ornament at a staff. The image of the sun, its beams, an eagle and a national ornament – all of them are of gold color. A parity of width of a flag to its length is 1: 2.
In traditions of heraldry each color symbolizes the certain concept. So, gold personifies power, force, riches, a constancy, eminence, belief, validity, virtue, mercy, fidelity. Blue color symbolizes honesty, chastity, fidelity, faultlessness. Besides this color corresponds to the sky and air.
Blue color has deep symbolical value in Turkic culture, too. It is enough to say that concepts blue and the sky are designated in the same word in languages of all members of ethnic group having Turkic language. Possibly, it is explained by the fact that ancient turki were worshippers of the sky, who considered the sky as the father, and their blue banner symbolized fidelity to the father- primogenitor. The belief in Tengri has been widespread to territories of Kazakhstan since the most ancient times — the Sky, bearing in itself idea of monotheism long before occurrence of great world religions such as the Buddhism, Christianity and an Islam. This belief has passed in centuries, and in the beginning of 20th century Kazakhs above tombs sacred erected a dome and painted it in blue color, that simulating model of the world: on four columns, personifying four party of light, the dome-spherical a symbol of the sky leans.
In view of cultural traditions, according to belief of all turki-speaking people blue color is perceived as heavenly, sacred, promised, treasured, and primordially pure. If to address to elements of the image on a panel of a flag, that, proceeding from heraldic canons, it is possible to say, that the sun symbolizes riches and abundance, and an eagle symbolizes authority, insight, magnanimity. Besides in traditions of different people there was a reverence of the sun as symbol of revival (a birth of day after night), a symbol of movement and time.
Representing the sun in the state attributes, Kazakhstan once again confirms the adherence to universal values and the world community that also testifies that the new young state of full vital energy is opened to all countries of the world for cooperation.
Another detail of the National flag which does not demand a special explanation is the image of an eagle. It is one of the first heraldic attributes long since applied in the arms and flags of many people. This image is usually perceived as a symbol of authority, insight and magnanimity. In the state symbols it is important not only an image of each detail, but also their execution, accommodation. In this plan the image of an eagle on our flag essentially differs from the predecessors. Earlier its injurious features and aggressive poses as display of force and power were emphasized. On a flag this image has found essentially new art decision, and it is not less expressive, than in the approved approaches. First, quiet, peace character of figure rushes to eyes. Its force, endurance, insight and fearlessness before any tests are important. Secondly, it is located under the sun, as though on the wings bears Prometey`s fire, fire of Happiness. In the third, it flies to the treasured purpose. It also is aspiration of our people fortunately and to prosperity, to heights of a human civilization.
The special place borrows an image of an eagle in outlook of Kazakhs which associates with such concepts as freedom, rebelliousness, feeling of advantage, courage, high ideals, and breadth of soul and cleanliness of thoughts. There isn’t any bird in the world equal to an eagle for nomads and its descendants.
The important element of the National flag is the vertical strip located at its staff with a national ornament. The Kazakh ornament is one of forms of specific art perception of the world in strict conformity with aesthetic tastes of people. Representing harmony rather complex, sometimes the abstract forms, lines and rhythms, it is expressive means of disclosing of a private world of people. Concrete subjects and the phenomena of world serve as their prototypes.
In opinion of scientists enrichment of ornamental motives and their dynamical development are inherent in a high step of development of culture.
The author of the National flag of Republic Kazakhstan is the honored worker of the arts, one of founders of design art of Kazakhstan Shaken Onlassynovich Niyazbekov.
He was born on the 12th of November, in Taraz. Graduated from the Leningrad Art-Industrial School named after I.Mukhina. He is the main artist of Almaty.
His main works are: Complex designs of a cinema named after Sh.Ualikhanov in Taraz, a monument «In Volokolamsk a direction. General-major I.Panfilov and battalion commander B.Momyshuly», picturesque cloths «Kurmangazy», «Kobik shashkan», «Kisen ashkan», «Shokan Ualikhanov», «Mukhtar Auezov», «Syrym Datov», «Zhambyl», «Happiness of mother», etc. He is the author of the arms of Almaty.