As part of the upcoming Independence Day celebration, today is being observed as Flag Day or Jounen Dwapo across the island.
Flag Day was instituted by the Cultural Division as part of Independence Celebrations as a way for the population to display and give recognition to the flag.
An island-wide motorcade is being held this year as part of the observation.
The flag is one of Dominica’s symbols of nationhood and national identity.
The flag we know today is the product of the recent design of November 3, 1988.
Dominica’s flag was originally designed by artist and playwright Alwin Bully in early 1978 in preparation for the gaining of independence from Britain later that year, however, cabinet made certain small alterations to the original design.
Dominica’s flag was legally established by Act No. 18 of 1978 of The National Emblems of Dominica Act which was signed by the then Governor, Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue on October 31, 1978.
It was Gazetted on November 1, 1978 and became effective on November 3, that same year.
Dominica’s flag has a green background representing the forested island. A cross, made up of three bands representing “the Trinity of God” is white, black and yellow in colour, and the cross itself “demonstrates belief in God”.
Dominicans at home and abroad are encouraged to display their flags throughout the day.
How can there be a flag when circulating are fake Dominica Flags. Check the internet. All the Chinese stores should be invaded and the disgrace flags burn. First the fake flags should be burn a ceremony to that. taking back our dignity and pride. Each school should be given a flag to remind the children what Dominica Flag looks like. Dominica flag is a combination of garbage when there is no respect by the people who make it however they want. But to sell these pieces of garbage in DOMINICA itself is humiliating. They are telling us in our face, we are making your Flag how we want and there is nothing you can do about it.
I could take the insult if is sell other places but in Dominica itself and the minister of tourism sees nothing wrong with that. SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG IN THIS COUNTRY. OUR FLAG.
thank you DRO for putting up and showing us what a real Dominican flag looks like. some of us need to know and be able to differentiate between the real Alwin Bully designed flag and the recently made fake Chinese flag. Thanks.
As a patriotic Dominican, I am always disappointed whenever I see Dominica’s flag being grossly disrespected. 95% of Dominicans are displaying today the WRONG flag. The flags sold by the Chinese usually don’t have a Sisserou Parrot, but some other bird. Some of them have a bird with a white crest standing on a white branch. Some of the birds have a pink crest. The correct flag has a purple crest on the Sisserou Parrot. Majority of the flags have the 10 stars in green, such as in the picture above. However, the stars are supposed to be ringed in yellow. I noticed recently, that not even the Prime Minister or President of Dominica are using the correct flag. As a proud Dominican, I would wish that the right flag of the Commonwealth of Dominica be used to represent the country. Dr. Honychurch has a great article on the origins of the Flag from the first flags used to represent Dominica up to present. I suggest persons do their research and start promoting the use of our correct flag.
I would like Mr Bully to tell us what the colours in the flag which he designed represents. Reading the article above is not what I learnt back then, in school, about what the colours represented when it first came out. Mind you I was born before Independence when DOMINICAN history was still being taught in schools.
I flying my flag today, but half mast in mourning of death of honesty and democracy in my country.