^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Piraí do Sul, Paraná (Brazil)

image by Ivan Sache, 7 February 2022

About the Flag

About the Flag

The municipality of Piraí do Sul (25,291 inhabitants in 2018; 140,307 ha) is located 180 km north-west Curitiba.

Piraí do Sul was settled in the early 17th century by Father Lucas Rodrigues França, the son of Governor João Rodrigues França. His estate was located near river Piraí. The settlement that developed nearby was named Bairro da Lança. The hamlet of Senhor Menino Deus de Piraí, part of the municipality of Castro, was established by Provincial Law No. 329 promulgated on 12 April 1872. The municipality of Piraí was established by Provincial Law No. 631 promulgated on 5 March 1881 and inaugurated on 24 July 1882. Renamed Mirim in 1943, the municipality was eventually named Piraí do Sul by State Decree-Law No. 2 promulgated on 10 October 1947.

The flag and arms of Piraí do Sul are prescribed by Municipal Law No. 391 promulgated on 13 October 1975.

Article 6.
The municipal flag of Piraí do Sul, designed by heraldist Arcinoé Peixoto de Faria, shall be quartered by a cross, the green quarters being constituted by red stripes of 1 unit, arranged horizontally and vertically, intersecting at a distance of 6 units from the hoist and being there superimposed by a white circle of 8 units in circumference, where the municipal coat of arms is applied.
§1. In accordance with the tradition of Portuguese heraldry, from which we inherited the canons and rules, municipal flags shall be divided in eight, six, four or three parts, having the same colors as those used in the shield's field and bearing in the center or at hoist a geometric figure where the municipal coat of arms is applied.
§2. The municipal flag of Piraí do Sul obeys this general rule, being quartered by a cross that reminds the Christian spirit of the people. The coat of arms applied to the flag represents the municipal government while the circle is a heraldic symbol of eternity, because it is a geometrical figure that has neither beginning nor end; the white color is a symbol of peace, friendship, work, prosperity, purity and religious spirit. The white stripes superimposed with red ones that quarter the flag represent the irradiation of municipal power that expands to all parts of the territory. The red color is a symbol of dedication, patriotic love, audacity, intrepidity, courage, and bravery. The green quarters thus constituted represent rural properties existing in the municipal territory. The green color is a symbol of honor, civility, courtesy, joy and abundance; it is the symbolic color of hope because it recalls greening fields in spring promising a profuse harvest.

Article 7.
In compliance with heraldic rules, the municipal flag shall have the official dimensions prescribed for the national flag, 14 units in width on 20 (units in length.

Article 19.
The coat of arms of Piraí do Sul, designed by heraldist Arcinoé Peixoto de Faria, is described in proper terms as follows.
A Samnite shield surmounted by an eight-towered mural crown argent with openings gules. On a field argent, an ox head sable surrounded by two stylized pines vert in base a fess wavy azure three fish argent naiant a spear sable beneath a chief azure a star of Bethlehem argent. The shield supported dexter and sinister by pioneers proper in typical dress (leather jacket proper, trousers azure, high boots and sword [...]). A scroll gules inscribed in letters argent with the toponym "PIRAÍ DO SUL" surrounded by date "5 March 1881".

The coat of arms has the following symbolic interpretation:
a) The Samnite shield used to represent the arms of Piraí do Sul was the first style of shield introduced in Portugal by French influence, inherited by Brazilian heraldry as evocative of the colonizing race and the main builder of the nation.
b) The mural crown that surmounts it is the universal symbol of domains' coats of arms; argent (silver), with eight towers, only five of them visible in perspective view, it classifies a 2nd rank town, that is, the seat of a county. The openings gules (red), due to the heraldic meaning of this color, are consistent with the attributes of the community leader.
c) Argent (silver) is a symbol of peace, friendship, work, prosperity, purity, and religious spirit.
d) The oxen sable (black) represents cattle breeding, an economic activity of the highest importance in municipal life since the beginnings of colonization; such activity constituted the main reason for settlement of the inhabitants.
e) Sable (black) is a symbol of austerity, prudence, wisdom, moderation, and firmness
f) The stylized pine vert (green) is characteristic of the entire South Brazilian region, where timber extraction and industrialization has been generating income over time.
g) Vert (green) is a symbol of honor, civility, courtesy, joy and abundance; it is the symbolic color of hope because it recalls greening fields in spring promising a profuse harvest.
h) The wavy stripe azure (blue) charged with three fish argent (silver) makes the arms canting, the indigenous toponym "Piraí" coming from "pira", "a fish", and "hy", "water", "river", therefore Fish River (Rio do Peixe). "Do Sul" complements the town's name, given the existence of a homonymous town in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
i) The spear sable (black) recalls the fortuitous encounter of a spear, probably lost during the War of the Seven Reductions.
j) The star of Bethlehem argent (silver) is the nativity symbol of the municipality's patron saint, emphasizing the Christian faith of people;
k) Azure (blue) is a symbol of justice, perseverance, zeal, loyalty, recreation and beauty.
l) The pioneers used as supporters recall the pioneering epic started by the São Paulo bandeirantes, whose resting places subsequently became towns.
m) The scroll gules (red), the symbolic color of dedication, patriotic love, audacity, intrepidity, courage, and bravery, the identifying toponym "PIRAÍ DO SUL" surrounded by the date of political emancipation "5 March 1881".

https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/p/pirai-do-sul/lei-ordinaria/1975/40/391/lei-ordinaria-n-391-1975-dispoe-sobre-a-forma-e-a-apresentacao-dos-simbolos-do-municipio-de-pirai-do-sul-e-da-outras-providencias
Leis Municipais database

Photos
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bandeira_hasteada2.png
https://www.piraidosul.pr.gov.br/arquivos/noticias/pirai-do-sul-completa-140-de-emancipacao-politica
https://www.facebook.com/Prefeiturapiraidosul/photos/1444516642376586
https://www.facebook.com/Prefeiturapiraidosul/photos/959427900885465
https://www.facebook.com/camarapirai/photos/2500520930020910
https://www.facebook.com/camarapirai/photos/1084083854997965
https://www.facebook.com/camarapirai/photos/868664689873217
https://www.facebook.com/camarapirai/photos/476978909041799

Ivan Sache, 7 February 2022