SAVA produces a Newsletter three times a year which deals with matters of local and international vexillological interest, new flags and matters relating to the running of the association. A more scholastic Journal is also published which deals with a particular research topic related to vexillology in southern Africa and is recognised internationally for its high standard. A series on all South African regimental colours and standards since 1652 has been published which is the most comprehensive record of such flags ever published in South Africa. SAVA has also published a series of Flag Specification Sheets focusing on the flags of Africa.
Members of SAVA include the former State Herald of South Africa, Mr Frederick Brownell, who is credited with designing the flag of South Africa and the flag of Namibia. Members of the association have been involved in the design and manufacture of many other flags, particularly municipal, military and corporate flags in Southern Africa. The association has also become an important source of vexillological information and research, including more recently on the internet. Bruce Berry, a founder member, is an editor for Flags of the World, the premier vexillological website and was elected as Secretary General of FIAV in July 2019.
Objectives of the association
According to its constitution, SAVA has the following objectives:
To record and preserve any and all information relating to flags in general and the flags of Southern Africa in particular;
To undertake research and study programmes, organise conferences and symposia, and to exchange information on flags and related matters with similar Associations and Institutions elsewhere in the world; and
To act as an information source for the general public and any interested bodies on all matters pertaining to flags.
SAVA is a non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian organisation that under no circumstances will become affiliated or associated with any political or religious body or sect.
Organization flag
The flag of the association is registered with the South African Bureau of Heraldry (Certificate Number 2362 issued on 4 October 1991) and is described as follows: A rectangular blue flag, proportion 3:2; bearing a gold chevron inverted, the tip couped, and in the centre five four-pointed stars, also white, conjoined in cross. Both the base and the tip of each chevron are respectively equal to half of the width of the flag, while the outer point of the stars in fess touch the conjunction of the chevrons.
The symbolism of the flag is as follows: At least one of the colours in this flag can be found in the national flag of each country in Southern Africa. The gold inverted chevron (the "V") alludes to vexillology. The five white stars, which are derived from the Southern Cross, and the white chevron, in turn allude to Southern Africa. (The Southern Cross itself has not been used since it is more closely associated with the flag of Australia and the flag of New Zealand).
Principal officers
Flag Specification Sheet for the Zimbabwe flag produced by the Southern African Vexillological Association
(as at April 2019)
Chairman – Father Peter Whitehead
Vice Chairman – Lt. Col. Edward Watson
Secretary/Treasurer – Bruce Berry
Additional Member – Martin Grieve
Additional Member – Mike Clingman
Additional Member – Theo Stylianides
Publications
SAVA has published the following in its SAVA Journal (SJ) series:
SJ: 1/92 – Some Southern African Flags, 1940–1991 by F. G. Brownell ( ISBN0-620-16598-7)
SJ: 2/93 – The Flags of the Union Defence Forces and of the South African Defence Force, 1912–1993 by Prof. H. H. Smith ( ISBN0-620-17683-0)
SJ: 3/94 – The Union Jack over Southern and Central Africa, 1795–1994 by F. G. Brownell ( ISBN0-620-18833-2)
SJ: 4/95 – The History of the Flags of South Africa before 1900 by J. A. van Zyl ( ISBN0-620-19798-6)
SJ: 5/96 – Flags and Symbols of Rhodesia, 1890–198|0 by R. Allport ( ISBN0-620-21797-9)
SJ: 6/97 – The Burgees of Recreational Boating in South Africa – a preliminary checklist by Peter Edwards ( OCLC41554628)
SJ: 7/98 – South African Military Colours – 1664 to 26 April 1994 Part I – Introduction and South African Military Colours: 1664 to 30 June 1912 by Prof. H. H. Smith ( ISBN0-620-25670-2)
SJ: 8/99 – South African Military Colours – 1664 to 26 April 1994 Part II Vol. 1 – Military Colours of the Union Defence Forces and of the South African Defence Force: 1 July 1912 to 30 May 1961 by Prof. H. H. Smith & F. G. Brownell ( ISBN0-620-30685-8)
SJ: 9 – South African Military Colours – 1664 to 26 April 1994 Part II Vol. 2 – Military Colours of the Union Defence Forces and of the South African Defence Force: 1 July 1912 to 30 May 1961 Colours devised for the Commandos of the South African Defence Forces prior to World War II by Prof. H. H. Smith & F. G. Brownell ( ISBN0-620-34701-5)
SJ: 10 – South African Military Colours – 1664 to 26 April 1994 Part III Vol. 1 – Military Colours of the South African Defence Force 31 May 1961 to 26 April 1994: The National Colour and Colours devised for the South African Army by Prof. H. H. Smith & F. G. Brownell ( ISBN978-0-620-50804-9)
SJ: 11 - South African Military Colours - 1664 to 26 April 1994 Part III Vol. 2 - Military Colours of the South African Defence Force 31 May 1961 to 26 April 1994: Colours devised for the South African Air Force, Navy, Medical Service and the South African Police by Prof. H. H. Smith & F. G. Brownell ( ISBN978-0-6399231-0-9)
Vagnat, P and Poels, J., 2000: Constitutions – what they tell us about national flags and coats of arms (SAVA 10th Anniversary Special)
Burgers, A. P., 2008: The South African Flag Book – A History of South African Flags from Dias to Mandela, Protea Book House ( ISBN978-1-86919-112-2)
Posters:
Southern African Vexillological Association - Celebrating 20 years of service to the vexillological community 1990 – 2010 illustrating all the national flags which have flown over South Africa
Flags and Ensigns of the World 2017 illustrating the national flags and ensigns in use as at 31 July 2017
In addition, the SAVA Newsletter (SN) is published three times per annum and is sent to members.
The flag of South Africa was designed in March 1994 and adopted on 27 April 1994, during South Africa's 1994 general election, to replace the previous flag used from 1928-1994.
Vexillology is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.
The national flag of Chad is a vertical tricolour consisting of a blue, a gold and a red field. Since the 1990s, its similarity to the flag of Romania has caused international discussion. In 2004, Chad asked the United Nations to examine the issue; however, Ion Iliescu, the President of Romania, announced no change would occur to the flag, as the existence of Romania's tricolour predates the existence of Chad as a whole.
Flags of the World is an Internet-based vexillological association and resource. Its principal project is the Internet's largest website devoted to vexillology, containing comprehensive information about various flags, and an associated mailing list. The mailing list began as a discussion group in about September 1993, while the website was founded by Giuseppe Bottasini in late 1994, and Rob Raeside took over as director in 1998. Flags of the World became the 56th member of the FIAV in 2001.
Whitney Smith Jr. was an American vexillologist. He coined the term vexillology, which refers to the scholarly analysis of all aspects of flags. He was a founder of several vexillology organizations. Smith was a Laureate and a Fellow of the International Federation of Vexillological Associations.
Flag information symbols are used by vexillologists to indicate certain characteristics of flags, such as where they are used, who uses them, and what they look like. The symbols were created by vexillologist Whitney Smith and then adopted by the International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) in the early 1970s. Vexillologist Željko Heimer added the symbols for normal and historical in the early 1990s.
The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the scientific and scholarly study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith (1940–2016), and others. Its membership of 1,000+ comprises flag scholars, enthusiasts, designers, collectors, conservators, educators, merchants, manufacturers, historians, and hobbyists.
In vexillology, defacement is the addition of a symbol or charge to a flag. For example, the New Zealand flag is the British Blue Ensign defaced with a Southern Cross in the fly.
The International Federation of Vexillological Associations is an international federation of 53 regional, national, and multinational associations and institutions across the globe that study vexillology, which FIAV defines in its constitution as "the creation and development of a body of knowledge about flags of all types, their forms and functions, and of scientific theories and principles based on that knowledge."
William George (Bill) Crampton was a British vexillologist. His chief legacy, the Flag Institute, has hundreds of members in the UK and overseas. He was recognised as Britain's foremost authority on flags by government agencies, the flag trade, the media, publishers, librarians and vexillologists of all ages and backgrounds. He served as a president of Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques, the International Federation of Vexillological Associations.
The Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) was an air force based in Salisbury which represented several entities under various names between 1935 and 1980: originally serving the British self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia, it was the air arm of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland between 1953 and 31 December 1963; of Southern Rhodesia once again from 1 January 1964; and of the unrecognised nation of Rhodesia following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain on 11 November 1965.
The flag of Birmingham was designed by Idyl King Sorsby for the occasion of the semicentennial of the city of Birmingham, Alabama in 1921. The flag was officially adopted as the city's flag on August 18, 1925.
The Great Waters Association of Vexillology is an organization devoted to vexillology, the scientific study of flags. GWAV has a particular focus on flags of the Midwestern United States.
Ottfried Neubecker was a German vexillologist and heraldist.
Frederick Gordon Brownell was a South African herald, vexillologist, and genealogist.
Alfred Znamierowski was a Polish vexillologist, heraldist, illustrator, and journalist. During his career he published several books and designed hundreds of coats of arms, flags, banners and seals for over 200 different municipalities and institutions.
The Southern Africa Medal is a military campaign medal which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for service in military operations in Southern Africa, outside the borders of South Africa and South West Africa, between 1 April 1976 and 21 March 1990. It is reputed that the SADF took one of its captured T-55 tanks and melted it to use as a campaign medal.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
