Flag of Batak
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The Flag of Batak is a tricolour flag consisting of the colours white, red, and black. The three colours, also known as Bonang Manalu (Toba Batak: ᯅᯬᯉᯰ ᯔᯉᯞᯮ, lit. 'Three Strings'),[1] Sitolu Warna (ᯘᯪᯖᯬᯞᯮ ᯋᯒ᯲ᯉ, 'The Three Colours'), or Tiga Bolit (ᯖᯪᯎ ᯅᯬᯞᯪᯖ᯲, 'The Entangled Three'),[2] are the main colours of the Batak people of North Sumatra, Indonesia.[3][4]
The Bonang Manalu flag doesn't have a fixed pattern scheme. While the white, red, and black pattern is widely used, there are other accepted variants too:
White, red, and black.
Red, white, and black.
Black, white, and red.
The Bonang Manalu colours is a prominent symbol and closely tied to Batak culture, they appear as the main colours in gorga motifs, ulos, and more.[2][5] The colours has been interpreted as such:[2][6]
- White represents purity, truth, and honesty
- Red represents bravery, solidarity, and unity
- Black represents strength, firmness, and leadership
The white-red-black variant of the Bonang Matalu is also an implementation of the values of Batak mythology:[3][4][2]
- White representing the Upper World (Banua Ginjang) where Gods live
- Red representing the Middle World (Banua Tonga) where mortals live
- Black representing the Lower World (Banua Toru) where spirits and ghosts live
These colours can also be an interpretation of the day cycle: morning, noon, and night.[2]
