
Last modified: 2020-07-12 by ian macdonald
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 image by Ivan Sache, 11 
July 2020
 image by Ivan Sache, 11 
July 2020
The municipality of Arroio do Tigre (12,648 inhabitants in 2010; 31,900 ha) 
is located 250 km of Porto Alegre.
Arroio do Tigre (Tiger's Stream) is 
named for a "tiger", indeed a jaguar shot in the 20th century near the colony of 
Sobradinho, on the banks of a stream ("arroio"). A hunt was organized after an 
unknown beast had killed several bovines; fierce hunters shot the beast but 
misidentified it as a tiger.
Arroio do Tigre was settled around 1900 by 
German colonists coming from Santa Cruz do Sul and the neighborhood. They were 
subsequently joined by Italians and Brazilians of Portuguese origin. Vila Tigre 
emerged in the 1920s as a group of huts; at the same time, the agricultural 
cooperative still active today was founded.
Vila Tigre belonged to the 
municipality of Soledade, until elevated to the 3rd district of Sobradinho. The 
municipality of Arroio do Tigre was established on 6 November 1963, separating 
from Sobradinho, Soledade and Espumoso.
http://www.arroiodotigre.rs.gov.br 
- Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 11 July 2020
The symbols of Arroio do Tigre are prescribed by a Municipal Law, 
unfortunately not specified.
The flag of Arroio do Tigre, designed by the 
heraldist Arcinoé Antônio Peixoto de Faria, shall be blue with three white 
stripes superimposed with black stripes, placed horizontally and emerging from a 
white isosceles triangle charged with the municipal flag.
§1. In 
compliance with the Portuguese heraldic tradition, of which Brazil inherited the 
canons and rules, the municipal flag can be divided in eight or six horizontal 
stripes, quartered, or vertically divided in three stripes, using the same 
colors as the field of the coat of arms and featuring in the center or at hoist 
a geometric figure charged with the coat of arms.
§2. The coat of arms 
featured on the flag represents the municipal government while the white 
isosceles triangle represents the town proper - seat of the municipality. The 
triangle is the heraldic symbol of liberty, equality and fraternity, while the 
white color symbolizes peace, friendship, work, prosperity, purity and religious 
feeling. The white stripes superimposed with black stripes emerging from the 
triangle represent the spread of the municipal power all over its territory. The 
black color is a symbol of authority, prudence, knowledge, moderation and 
firmness. The blue sectors represent the rural properties scattered on the 
municipal territory. Blue is the symbol of justice, nobleness, perseverance and 
Loyalty.
The coat of arms of Arroio do Tigre, designed by the heraldist 
Arcinoé Antônio Peixoto de Faria, is described in proper heraldic words as 
follows:
Samnite shield surmounted by a six-towered mural crown argent. 
Argent a Bible sable inscribed argent. A base azure wavy argent supporting a 
jaguar passant proper. The shield supported dexter and sinister by plants of 
wheat and tobacco proper crossed in base and supporting a scroll azure inscribed 
in letters argent the toponym "ARROIO DE TIGRE", supporting on its ends towers 
high voltage line pylons.
The coat of arms has the following symbolic 
interpretation:
a) the Samnitic shield used to represent the coat of arms of 
Arroio do Tigro was the first style of shield introduced in Portuguese from 
French influence, and was inherited by Brazilian heraldry to evoke the 
colonizing race and main constituent of our nationality.
b) the mural crown 
surmounting the shield is a universal symbol for municipal coat of arms, being 
argent (white) with six towers, only four visible in perspective, therefore 
indicating a town of third rank or a municipal seat.
c) argent (white) used 
in the field of the shield is a symbol of peace, friendship, work, prosperity, 
purity and religious feeling.
d) in the center of the shield, the Bible sable 
(black) represents the Christian spirit of the people of Arroio do Tigre, 
recalling that the municipality owns a Bible dating from more than 400 years and 
weighing 6.5 kg, for a thickness of 39 cm, often considered as Brazil's best 
existing Bible.
e) sable (black) is a symbol of austerity, prudence, 
knowledge, moderation and firmness.
f) in base the water azure (blue) 
decorated argent (white) supporting a jaguar passant proper makes the arms 
canting, recalling the toponym "Arroio do Tigre" adopted for hunting of this 
animal, then called "tiger", once abundant on the banks of the stream ("arroio") 
where the town was established.
g) the supporters, wheat and tobacco, 
represent the two main products of the fertile soil and main source of income 
for the municipality. The pylons represent the Itaúba plant, located on the 
municipal territory and considered as the main hydro-electric power plant in the 
south of the country.
h) the scroll azure (blue) features in letters argent 
(silver) the toponym "Arroio do Tigre" surrounded by "22-03-1964", the date of 
inauguration of the municipality.
http://www.arroiodotigre.rs.gov.br/site/index.php/2013-10-24-00-53-36/simbolos.html 
- Municipal website
Photos:
https://www.radiosobradinho.com.br/ler-noticia/8u35uo/arroio-do-tigre-recebe-100-mil-reais-para-a-area-da-saude.html
https://www.acontecenors.com.br/noticia/1949/prefeitura-de-arroio-do-tigre-emite-nota-reafirmando-medidas-de-prevencao-a-covid-19
The Arroio do Tigre Bible is Brazil's oldest document written in German. 
Printed in 1584, the book was brought from Bopfingen (Baden-Württemberg) by the 
tanner Ludwig Gustav Ensslin in 1886. A family treasure, the book is a luxury 
copy of Luther Bible. Ensslin disembarked from the ship "Argentina" with a trunk 
weighing 317 kg.
The Arroio Bible is now kept in a trunk in Paulo and Jusiane 
Ensslin's house. Paulo inherited the book from his godfather Francisco Carlos 
Ensslin, Ludwig's grandson.
http://gospelrio.blogspot.com/2010/11/conheca-biblia-mais-antiga-do-brasil.html 
- GospelRio blog
Image from the municipal website:
http://www.arroiodotigre.rs.gov.br/site/index.php/2013-10-24-00-53-36/simbolos.html 
Ivan Sache, 11 July 2020