The Chaldean flag is an ethnic flag designed to represent Chaldean Catholics, an Eastern Catholic community originating from the historical region of Mesopotamia, primarily in modern-day Iraq. The flag was created in 1985 by Amer Hanna Fatuhi (also known as Shendaj), a visual artist and self-described historian of Chaldean background who resides in the Metro Detroit area, home to a significant Chaldean diaspora community.
Design and Symbolism
The flag features a white background with two vertical blue stripes (Pantone 300 C) positioned near the left and right edges. In the center is a Mesopotamian eight-fold star with two internal circles: an outer yellow circle (Pantone Yellow C) representing the sun, and an inner blue circle (Pantone 300 C) representing the moon. From the eight-fold star, blue rays radiate outward. The beams of the star contain two interlaced red triangles (Pantone Red 485 C) separated by an angle formed by two connected white lines.
The two vertical blue stripes symbolize the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow through the Mesopotamian land. The eight-fold star and the yellow sun disc are said to represent goodness, justice, equality, and civilization. The inner blue circle representing the moon, together with the sun, is intended to signify the Chaldean-Babylonian contributions to astronomy and mathematics.
History and Adoption
According to the designer's website, the flag was first designed in 1985 and was officially recognized by the International Chaldean Visual Artists Association in 1997. It received a U.S. Federal Copyright Registration (VAu 412-182) on October 27, 1997. The flag was reportedly approved as the legitimate Chaldean National Flag at the Chaldean International Conventions in San Diego, California (2011) and Southfield, Michigan (2013).
The flag is used by Chaldean communities in Iraq, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe during cultural events, national festivities, and political gatherings, including celebrations of the Akitu festival (Chaldean Babylonian New Year).
Controversy and Context
The Chaldean flag exists within the broader context of the Assyrian naming dispute and sectarian divisions within the Assyrian community. Some sources describe it as an "Assyrian separatist ethnic flag" designed to represent Chaldean Catholics specifically, as distinct from the broader Assyrian flag. The flag has received criticism for its association with sectarianism and for a copyright claim enforced by its creator, which led to a lawsuit involving Chaldean Catholic Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo (case Amer Shendaj v. Chaldean Federation of America and Sarhad Jammo, United States District Court, 2002).
Chaldean National Emblem
Alongside the flag, Fatuhi also designed a Chaldean National Emblem (1997), which features the eight-fold star and a "Spouting Vase" (Life Spring), described as a Mesopotamian Proto-Kaldi symbol representing fertility, renewal, and growth, with currents representing the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
