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by Jarig Bakker, 14 Sep 2004
adopted 7 Sep 2004; design: Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk
The flag and Coat of Arms of Kootstertille (municipality of Achtkarspelen) are
registered in the Genealogysk Jierboekje of 2000, pp.
196-197. The arms were designed by Jelle Terluin (Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk),
the flag by me.
However they have not been adopted. Some prominent Kootstertillers
prefer the arms of the old village of Kooten.
Hans van Heijningen, 3 Aug 2003
It appears now that there was a village meeting in 2001 in which the
new flag and Coat of Arms were outvoted by 27 to 115.
The "Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk" (Frisian Council of Heraldry)
went back to the drawing board and discovered that the old Coat of Arms
of Kooten, on which the new Coat of Arms was based, was a
family-Coat of Arms, probably of a family from Western or Central Netherlands, where
merlettes were used on arms, while they weren't in Fryslân. Therefore
the FRfH advised the village to
change the arms. A meeting was organised on 7 Sep 2004 - but nobody
attended. The board of the society for village interests ("Plaatselijk
Belang") decided to stick to the vote of 2001, and adhere to the old
arms.
The FRfH then proposed to change the colors, by which the Coat of Arms changed,
but retained its old appearance. The Board could live with that, so that
it was adopted.
The vilage arms are now:
"In silver two blue fesses in chief with two red merlettes".
The colors red, blue and silver are derived from the Achtkarspelen
arms.
At the same time a new flagdesign was adopted, derived from the new
arms:
"Five equally high stripes of white-blue-white-blue-white, with on
the top and middle stripe towards the hoist a red merlette".
An impromptu explanation: the blue stripes may represent the water
of the Prinses Margriet Kanaal; the red color of the merlettes are derived
from the churches on the Achtkarspelen Coat of Arms; the colors are the same as
on the Frisian flag.
According to the Kollumer Krante everybody was extremely pleased about
the outcome, as even the mayor's chain didn't need to be changed (it had
the old arms in silver).
Source: Nieuwsblad van Noord-Oost Friesland (newspaper, aka Kollumer
Krante), 8 Sep 2004, and a press-release by the "Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk".
Thanks to Mr. Hans van Heijningen.
Jarig Bakker, 14 Sep 2004
The Coat of Arms of Kooten was rediscovered in 1957 in the armory of Andries
Schoemaker, who made this c. 1695. Twelve Frisian village Coats of Arms were drawn
in this manuscript, among which the arms of Kooten. The two bars in the
Coat of Arms may point at the Coat of Arms of the former Frisian division of Oostergo (the
Oostergo arms is red with two silver bars). The meaning of the merlettes
is unknown.
Source: Wapens en vlaggen in de gemeente Achtkarspelen, Buitenpost,
1999.