Any sovereign state has its own official symbols. This is a flag, coat of arms and anthem. This article is devoted to the state symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Their description and interpretation of the semantic meaning, as well as interesting historical facts related to them are given. Attention is also paid to the legislative framework governing the adoption and use of national symbols.
State flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan: description
We will begin the description of the state symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the national flag of this Central Asian country. It is a rectangular cloth. Its background is blue. In the center is the image of the radiant sun, and underneath is an eagle (also golden in color). The width of the flag refers to its length as one to two.
The cloth is traditionally attached to the pole. The latter has a vertical strip. It is a national ornament of a golden hue.
Deciphering the appearance of the Kazakhstan flag
From time immemorial among the nomadic peoples inhabiting the modern territory of Kazakhstan, the sky-blue color was associated with freedom, without which they could not imagine their life, as well as with impeccability and honesty. If we analyze the word “blue”, then in the Kazakh language it has many cognates related to the concepts of “happiness,” “being,” and “renewal.” We must not forget about the ancient Türks who idolized the sky, considering it their creator. Their banner was also blue for precisely this reason.
Thus, the color of the flag as a state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan says that the citizens living in this Central Asian country value freedom, peace and a happy life most of all. Even the uniformity of the background has its own semantic load. It symbolizes unity in the state and equality of all before the law.
The sun has always been associated in humans with life energy. Its rays on the Kazakhstan flag are depicted in the form of grains. It is a symbol of prosperity and prosperity. There is another important element - the eagle (more precisely, the golden eagle). This is a formidable bird of the steppes. When she is portrayed in poses testifying to predatory intentions, associations with power and authority arise. But the eagle proudly spread its wings on the flag of Kazakhstan . He is in flight. And this means freedom, the desire of citizens of a young country for high goals and a better life. Among the nomads, the golden eagle evoked admiration and awe. They considered this bird to be courageous, faithful and free.
The ornament adorning the pole is characterized by the harmony of figures and lines. It reflects the mentality of the Kazakh people. Similar images can often be found on the cultural monuments of this state.
How to choose a national flag
Almost immediately after the independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the state symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan became a matter of paramount importance. Since mid-winter of 1992, the authorities announced a contest during which they wanted to find the best author of the flag. Everyone could participate in this grandiose project.
According to the organizers, up to 1200 works were sent for consideration. Citizens of not only Kazakhstan, but also other countries of the post-Soviet space took part in the competition. The authors of the sketches were also Germans, Turks and Mongols.
A specially created commission evaluated the work of the contestants. It included prominent artists of the country, deputies of the Supreme Council of the Republic and its head, Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev. It was he who paid special attention to the sketch developed by the artist Shaken Niyazbekov.
A little about the author of the state flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The following can be briefly described about the author of the state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Shaken Niyazbekov was born in 1938. At ten, he suddenly became an orphan. After school, he entered the Leningrad Higher Industrial Art School, which he successfully graduated from.
As a student, he took part in the restoration of the Hermitage and other famous cultural monuments. Niyazbekov’s career is full of great achievements. Among them are victories in the poster contests "Peace World" and the decoration of the square in the city of Almaty. In the 80s, this man headed the Union of Painters of Kazakhstan.
Being the owner of many awards and prizes, the artist always remained humble. For winning the flag contest he was awarded only a color TV. But Shaken Onlasynovich was satisfied with this and did not claim privileges for any honors. The author of the flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan died on August 14, 2014.
Approval and presentation of the flag of the country
The state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan (flag) has been adopted the fourth of June 1992 year. True, an option approved by the commission, it was slightly different from the one that exists now. In the Law "On the National Flag" of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it was described as tricolor; the shape of the ornament was different, and the color of the latter was scarlet.
Literally in the very first days after the approval, the President raised the issue of amending the state symbol, and the corresponding decision was made. On June 6, the country’s flag was solemnly presented, and then raised above the residence of the head of the republic and its Parliament. In the same year, Kazakh athletes carried it at the opening of the Olympic Games in Barcelona, ​​for the first time presenting the national flag at the international level.
Problem moment with flag
For many years, some public figures have drawn attention to the fact that the standards of the state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan (flag) are not clearly spelled out in the Constitution. And this often causes distortion. The main law states that the background of the country's main banner is blue, and the images of the bird, the sun and the ornament should be gold.
But in nature there are more than eight dozen shades of blue. As for the gold, their number exceeds one hundred. In the course of printing, everyone understands these colors in their own way. Therefore, flags at state and other institutions are often very different from each other. You can see and pale blue options, and deep blue. Shades of drawings also vary. According to many experts, this is a problem, and it requires a solution.
Description of the national emblem of the country
The next state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the national emblem. It was adopted just like the flag on the fourth of June 1992 and was solemnly presented two days later. Its authors Zh. Malibekov and Sh. Ualikhan are famous Kazakh architects.
The coat of arms is a wheel, in the middle of which is a shanyrak (this is the roof of a traditional Kazakh dwelling - a yurt). From it diverging supports (or pegs), reminiscent of the rays of the sun. On both sides of the shanyrak there are winged horses (tulpars) with cornucopia, well known in Kazakh national mythology. A five-pointed star (volumetric) hangs over it. And under the shanyrak the name of the republic is written in the Kazakh language.
The background of the wheel is blue. All images are gold. Thus, the emblem of the republic is made in the same colors as the national flag.
Decryption of the coat of arms of the country
The circle in the form of which the state emblem of Kazakhstan is made symbolizes eternity. Shanyrak is a totemic part of the yurt, especially revered by nomads who saw in their home not only practical meaning, but also spiritual one. Each of its elements had its own philosophical significance. Shanyrak, resembling a heavenly dome, was "responsible" for the connection of man with higher powers. The emblem, which includes the most important element of the yurt, means that Kazakhstan is a cozy home for all its citizens. And the pillars are the reliability and stability of the home.
Cuckold winged horses are a symbol of abundance and the pursuit of excellence. The five-pointed star indicates that the Kazakh people seek to live peacefully with the countries of all five continents of the planet. The golden color of the drawings symbolizes well-being, and the blue color symbolizes purity and freedom.
National anthem
And the third state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the national anthem. The first time it was approved in 1992, together with the emblem and flag. But from the very beginning, the text of the song chosen for the anthem seemed to most Kazakhs too complicated for perception. And the melody didn’t very well "lay by ear".
Therefore, in 2006, it was decided to change the national anthem. The new symbol was a popular song, well known to the Kazakhs since the fifties of the last century. The author of the music is Sh. Kaldayakov, and the lyrics were written by J. Najimedenov. The text was finalized at the beginning of the twenty-first century by Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The song is saturated with the spirit of patriotism. Again, golden ears and blue sky appear in it. The lyrical hero compares himself to a flower grown on fertile Kazakh land and loving his homeland.
The legislative framework
The manufacture and use of the flag, coat of arms and anthem are regulated by the Constitutional Law on State Symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the relevant Decree of the President. The banner must be present on the roofs of buildings of state bodies of the country. On their walls, the presence of the coat of arms is also required, which is also available in national currency, as well as on passports, border posts, official media of the Republic of Kazakhstan, etc. The use of the coat of arms on their seals and letterheads is prohibited by non-governmental institutions. The anthem must be performed and listened while standing, putting the right hand to the upper left part of the chest.
So, we examined the state symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan: flag, coat of arms and anthem. Each of them has an important semantic load for the citizens of this country, inextricably linked with the history of the people. Respecting state symbols is the constitutional duty of all people living in Kazakhstan.