Flag of Indonesia

Hoisting of the Bendera Pusaka moment during the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence on 17 August 1945

The flag's colours are derived from the banner of the 13th century Majapahit Empire.[4] However, it has been suggested that the red and white symbolism can trace its origin to the older common Austronesian mythology of the duality of Mother Earth (red) and Father Sky (white). This is why these colours appear in so many flags throughout Austronesia, from Tahiti to Madagascar.[5] The earliest records of the red and white panji or pataka (a long flag on a curved bamboo pole) can be found in the Pararaton chronicle; according to this source, the Jayakatwang troops from Gelang-Gelang hoisted the red and white banner during their invasion of Singhasari in the early 12th century. This suggests that even before the Majapahit era, the red and white colours were already revered and used as the kingdom's banner in the Kediri era (1042-c.1222).

Red and white textile colouring was available in ancient Indonesia. White is the natural colour of woven cotton fabrics, while red is one of the earliest natural dyes, acquired either from teak leaves,[6] the flowers of Averrhoa bilimbi, or the skin of mangosteen fruits.[7]

It was not only the Javanese kingdoms that used red and white. The battle flag of King Sisingamangaraja IX of Batak lands bore an image of white twin swords called piso gaja dompak against a red background.[8] During the Aceh War of 1873-1904, Aceh warriors used a battle flag with the image of a sword, star and crescent, sun, and some Quranic script in white on a red background.[9] The red and white flag of the Buginese Bone kingdom in South Sulawesi is called Woromporang.[10] The Balinese Badung (Puri Pamecutan) royal banner is red, white, and black,[11]. During the Java War (1825–1830) Prince Diponegoro also used a red and white banner.

In the early 20th century these colours were revived by students and then nationalists, as an expression of nationalism against the Dutch. The modern red and white flag which was first flown in Java in 1928, was prohibited under Dutch rule. Upon Indonesia's declaration of independence on 17 August 1945 it was adopted as the national flag, and has been in use ever since.[12] After Indonesia's independence was recognized, Monaco, which had a similar flag, filed a complaint which was largely ignored.[13]

Hotel Yamato incident

A moment after the blue stripe of a Dutch flag was torn off to make an Indonesian flag at the Hotel Yamato (now Hotel Majapahit), Surabaya

The flag featured in a well-known incident during the Indonesian War of Independence when during the lead-up to the Battle of Surabaya in late 1945, Indonesian youths removed a colonial Dutch flag flying over the Yamato Hotel, tore off the blue strip and re-hoisted it as an Indonesian flag. The Hotel was subsequently renamed Hotel Merdeka, meaning Independence Hotel.[14]

• 
  Flag of the Dutch East India Company used 20 March 1602 – 1 January 1800
• 
  Flag of the Dutch East Indies used 1 January 1800 – 27 December 1949
• 
  Flag of Imperial Japan used 8 March 1942 – 17 August 1945 (3 years 5 months)
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  Flag of Indonesia used (de facto) 17 August 1945 - present[15]

The official name of the flag is Sang Saka Merah-Putih (meaning "lofty bicolour Red and White") according to Article 35 of the 1945 Constitution. The flag is commonly called Bendera Merah-Putih (Red-and-White Flag). Occasionally, it is also called Sang Dwiwarna (The bicolour). Sang Saka Merah-Putih (The Lofty Red-and-White) refers to the historical flag called Bendera Pusaka (heirloom flag) and its replica. The Bendera Pusaka is the flag that was flown in front of Sukarno's house after he proclaimed Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945. The original Bendera Pusaka was sewn by Fatmawati, and was hoisted every year in front of the presidential palace during the independence day ceremony. It was hoisted for the last time on 17 August 1968. Since then it has been preserved and replaced by a replica since the original flag was deemed to be too fragile.[1]

Several opinions have been expressed on the meaning of the red and white in the Indonesian flag. One opinion is that the red stands for courage, while the white stands for purity. Another is that red represents the human body or physical life, while white represents the soul or spiritual life; together they stand for a complete human being.[12]

As Sukarno said:

Red is the symbol of courage, White is the symbol of purity. Our flag has been there for 600 years. [16]

The colours are the same as those used in the flag of the Majapahit.[17]

Media related to National flag of Indonesia at Wikimedia Commons

• Indonesia at Flags of the World