(Oranjestad)—Aruba’s flag came much later, after Aruba had already obtained its coat of arms and an anthem it could call its own. At the suggestion of the Island Government of Aruba, a commission was appointed in 1976 consisting of Julio Maduro, former head of the Department of Labor Affairs; Wouter van Romondt, former art teacher at Colegio Arubano; Ronald Donk; and Juan E. Wever as secretary. Their task was to organize a public competition for a flag design.
In total, 693 designs were submitted to the commission.
Some design elements stood out during the evaluation. Many contributors, mostly schoolchildren, wanted to see a four-pointed star. A number of people also opted for horizontal or vertical colored stripes.
The dominant colors were red, white, blue, and yellow. Although contributors helped establish the colors and elements of the flag, none of the submitted designs received final approval.
With the help of an American expert from the Flag Research Institute in Boston named Whitney Smith, the flag we know today was developed. The commission asked the expert to create another design that would incorporate the colors, meanings, and values suggested by the local contributors. On March 16, 1976, the same day the national anthem was approved, the Parliament of Aruba approved the final design, which became the official flag of Aruba.
On March 18, the flag was raised for the first time during a ceremony inaugurating the anthem and flag at Wilhelmina Stadium. The national flag had been officially adopted on that date in 1976.
Meaning of the Flag
Blue color:
The blue color of our flag represents the vast sea that surrounds the island. Some sources say the shade of blue (Pantone 279 C) was specifically chosen to match the blue used in the United Nations flag. The color symbolizes the ocean and Aruba’s connection to it.
Yellow stripes:
The flag expresses a desire for sovereignty and independence from others while not isolating itself from the surrounding world. This is represented by the horizontal yellow stripes, which indicate Aruba’s free position in the blue sea that surrounds it.
The yellow color also refers to Aruba’s industries such as aloe, gold, and tourism, which have historically been important sources of income for the Aruban people. It also represents plants that bloom yellow, such as Kibrahacha, Brazil, Bonchi di Strena, Aloe, and Wanglo.
Four-pointed star:
The four points of the star represent the four directions of the compass. In addition, it symbolizes the directions from which immigrants from more than 40 countries have come and now live together in harmony on our island.
The four-pointed star also refers to the maritime and air directions from which Aruba’s economy flows, including where our largest economic pillar—tourism—comes from.
The red color of the star represents the blood of our indigenous ancestors and pays tribute to the sacrifices made during battles such as the one at Rooi Frances (Frenchman’s Pass).
The white outline around the star represents the white sand of our beaches and the purity of the Aruban people, who respect justice, order, and freedom.
