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Paraguaçu, Minas Gerais (Brazil)

7:10 image by Dirk Schönberger, 16 August 2010

About the Flag

About the Flag of Paraguaçu

The flag of the Municipality of Paraguaçu has the same proportions as the national flag, 14 units hoist by 20 units fly. It is quartered diagonally with the coat of arms on the center.
Source: www.oiaqui.com.br/acidade.htm
Joseph McMillan, 27 May 2002

The official website is at http://www.paraguacu.mg.gov.br/
The flag is shown on the official site at http://www.paraguacu.mg.gov.br/web/principal.php?go=15
Dirk Schönberger, 16 August 2010

There is more information about the flag on the municipal website:

The flag of Paraguaçu has the same proportions as the national flag, that is 14:20. It is quartered per saltire blue-white, with, in the middle, the municipal coat of arms in proportions 7:7 Blue represents justice, strength, nobleness, dignity, zeal and loyalty. It also represents serenity and the quest of God by the man through the blue firmament. White represents peace, purity and religious feelings.

The coat of arms is described on another page:

The shield is classic, in Ibero-Flemish of Portuguese shape, as used in Portugal when Brazil was discovered. Its white field heraldically represents (sic) peace, purity, religious feelings, and commitment to order and work.

The charges are the following:
- A river, placed in the top of the shield, represents river Sapucaí, the main river of the region, which separates Paraguaçu from the neighbouring municipality of Elói Mendes. The three small fishes recall that the river is well-stocked with fish and has three islands;
- Mercury's winged helmet, placed under the river, represents the local trade;
- A five-pointed star, placed under the helmet, on the right part of the shield, represents the Guaipava District;
- A mountain range, placed under the helmet, on the left part of the shield, represents the Serra da Matinada;
- The Scapular of Mount Carmel, placed vertically in the lower half of the shield, recalls that the Virgin of Carmel is the patron saint of Paraguaçu;
- A chapel, placed on the left of the Scapular, recalls the first sanctuary built in Paraguaçu in 1810;
- A cogwheel, placed on the right of the Scapular, represents the regional industry;
- A cow, placed under the cogwheel, emphasizes the significance of cattle-breeding for the region.

The shield is surmounted by a mural crown argent with eight towers, three crowns and two half-crowns being visible. The open doors of the towers symbolize the hospitality of the inhabitants of Paraguaçu. Argent heraldically means (sic) friendship, work, prosperity, truth, loyalty, nobleness and integrity.

The shield is surrounded on left by a coffee branch and on right by a branch of "marolo" (Annona coriacea Mart., aka soursop), both branches being fructed. Coffee, introduced locally in 1885, is the base of the economy of the region, while marolo is native from the region.

The white scroll, heraldically representing (sic) harmony, peace and purity, is charged with the name of the town, in blue capital letters. The years placed on left and right, are the foundation year of the settlement (1911 - State Law No. 556, 30 August 1911) and the year it was granted the rank of "cidade" (town) (1925 - Law No. 893, 10 September 1925), respectively.
http://www.paraguacu.mg.gov.br/web/principal.php?go=13.

Ivan Sache, 20 August 2010