Catherine Flon sewed the Haitian flag. On the last day of the congress of Arcahaie (May 18, 1803), working in unison with her Godfather Jean-Jacques Dessaline, the Haitian flag was created as a symbol of independence.
The Haitian flag is red and blue, with a coat of arms in the center. The coat of arms comprises a royal palm at the top of a green hill. Atop the royal palm rest a cap, The Cap of Liberty. The Phrygian or liberty cap is a soft cone-shaped hat representing liberty.
The Trophies of Arm surround the royal palm tree’s trunk atop the green pasture of the hill. A trophy of six rifles, six civil flags, two axes, two bugles, a drum, two cannons, two powder bags, one infantry hat, one cavalry hat, two piles of cannonballs, and two anchors.
The motto is written beneath the Trophies of Arm, L'Union fait la Force (French for 'Unity makes strength'). However, this should not be confused with the national motto of Haiti: liberté, égalité, fraternité (French for 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity').
- Boaz
*Photo credit: L’union Suite