The Unique Cultural Identity: Symbolic Representation Of Brunei

The national flag of Brunei is a powerful symbol of the country and its values. Officially adopted on 29 September 1959, the flag features a yellow background with diagonal bands of white and black. The colours and symbols on the flag represent the sultan, the monarchy, the chief ministers, and the state religion of Islam. The national emblem, featured in the centre of the flag, includes a swallow-tailed flag, a royal parasol or ceremonial umbrella, wings, hands, and a crescent moon. The national motto, Always Render Service with God's Guidance, is inscribed in Arabic script, embodying the country's commitment to peace and welfare.

National flag

The national flag of Brunei Darussalam is rectangular and features a yellow background with two diagonal bands of white and black. The middle of the flag features a red emblem, known as the National Crest or National Coat of Arms, which was added in 1959. The crest includes five components: a swallow-tailed flag, the royal parasol (ceremonial umbrella), the wings of four feathers, the two upraised hands, and the crescent moon. The swallowtail flag and the parasol represent the sultanate's monarchy, with the wings of four feathers symbolising justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace. The crescent moon represents Islam, the state religion of Brunei, and the two upraised hands signify the government's pledge to preserve and promote the welfare of the people.

The yellow field represents the sultan of Brunei, with yellow traditionally being the colour of royalty in Southeast Asia. The white and black bands represent Brunei's chief ministers, who advise the Sultan and serve as regents when he is unable to rule. The white band is wider than the black band, representing the First Minister (Pengiran Bendahara) and the black band represents the Second Minister (Pengiran Pemancha), who governs foreign affairs.

The national motto of Brunei, "Always in service with God's guidance" in Malay, is inscribed on the crescent in Arabic script, with the country's name, "Brunei, the Abode of Peace", written on a banner below.

The flag was officially adopted on 29 September 1959, when Brunei was a British protectorate, and was retained when the country gained independence on 1 January 1984. The basic design of the flag, however, has been in use since 1906, with the crest being added in 1959.

National emblem

The Emblem of Brunei is a national symbol that also features on the country's flag. It was officially adopted in 1940 and has five main components: a swallow-tailed flag, a royal parasol (ceremonial umbrella), wings, hands, and a crescent. The small swallowtail flag and parasol (payung ubor-ubor) have been the royal insignia of the sultanate's monarchy since the emblem's creation. The wings symbolise the protection of justice, tranquility, prosperity and peace. The crescent, a symbol of Islam, the state religion of Brunei, sits below the wings. On either side of the emblem, upturned hands indicate the government's duty to preserve and promote the welfare of citizens and to protect the people.

Below the crescent is a banner; both are inscribed with yellow lettering in Arabic. On the crescent is Brunei's national motto:

> الدائمون المحسنون بالهدى‎; Ad-dāʾimūna al-muḥsinūna bi-l-hudā, meaning "Always in service with God's guidance" (Malay: "Sentiasa membuat kebajikan dengan petunjuk Allah").

On the banner (or scroll) is the state's name:

> بروني دارالسلام‎; Brunei Darussalam, meaning "Brunei, the Abode of Peace".

All elements on the emblem are red. On some versions, they have black outlines, while others have colourless outlines.

After the Constitution was enacted in 1959, the Sultan of Brunei adopted a different emblem from the emblem of the state, replacing the two hands with two golden sejant cats (kuching emas).

National colours

The national colours of Brunei are yellow, black, white, and red. The yellow represents royalty and symbolises the leader of Brunei, the Sultan. The white and black bands denote the two chief ministers of Brunei, who advise the Sultan and serve as regents when he is unable to rule. The red emblem in the middle of the flag consists of five components: a swallow-tailed flag, the royal umbrella (also known as a ceremonial umbrella or parasol), the wings of four feathers, the two upraised hands, and the crescent moon.

The swallowtail flag and the parasol represent the sultanate’s monarchy. The wings of four feathers symbolise justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace. The crescent moon signifies the Islamic faith, which is the state religion of Brunei. The two upraised hands signify the government's pledge to preserve and promote the welfare of the citizens and to protect the people.

The national motto of Brunei is inscribed in yellow Arabic script on the crescent: "Always in service with God's guidance" or "Always render service with God's guidance". The script on the ribbon below the crescent reads, "Brunei, the Abode of Peace" in Malay.

National bird and animal

The national bird and animal of Brunei is the sea eagle. While there is no official national bird, the white-bellied sea eagle is considered an unofficial contender for the position due to its significance to a particular portion of the population.

The emblem of Brunei, which is also featured on the flag, consists of five components: the flag, the royal parasol (ceremonial umbrella), the wings, the hands, and the crescent. The swallowtail flag and the parasol represent the sultanate's monarchy, while the wings symbolise protection, justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace. The crescent, a symbol of Islam, the state religion, bears the national motto: "Always in service with God's guidance". On the sides, the upturned hands indicate the government's duty to preserve and promote the welfare of the citizens and to protect the people.

National flower

The Simpor (Dillenia Suffruticosa) is Brunei's national flower. It is a large, bright yellow flower with large leaves that, when in full bloom, spread out like an umbrella. The flower is native to Brunei and can be found across the country, especially along rivers such as the Temburong River, and in swamp or white sand areas. The image of the Simpor flower is featured on the Brunei one-dollar banknote and is also commonly used in traditional handicraft designs.

The Simpor tree is a large, evergreen shrub that grows to 6-10 metres high and has a stout trunk. Its leaves are simple and arranged alternatively, with each leaf blade measuring 12-40 centimetres long and 6-12 centimetres wide. The flowers bloom on long peduncles facing downwards and are about 8-13 centimetres wide. They have no scent or nectar and are pollinated by bees, small beetles, and flies. The Simpor tree is highly resilient and can grow and survive anywhere.

The Simpor flower is significant in Brunei as it symbolises the country's success and development. Additionally, the tree has multiple uses, such as the treatment of wounds and the storage of food. The leaves can be used to wrap food items such as tempeh (fermented soybean cake) instead of using plastic bags. They can also be shaped into cones to hold food.

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