
Last modified: 2020-07-18 by ian macdonald
Keywords: rio grande do sul | esmeralda | 
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 image by Ivan Sache, 17 July 2020
 image by Ivan Sache, 17 July 2020
The municipality of Esmeralda (3,383 inhabitants in 2009; 83,330 ha) is 
located 300 km north-east of Porto Alegre.
Esmeralda was originally known 
as São José Velho, named for its patron saint, St. Joseph, and Antônio Joaquim 
Velho, who offered a plot to erect a chapel and establish a new settlement.
The municipality of Esmeralda was established by State Law No. 4,616 promulgated 
on 27 November 1963, separating from Vacaria, and inaugurated on 8 April 1964.
http://www.esmeralda.rs.gov.br/
Municipal website
Esmeralda is known as Terra de José Mendes. One of 
the most famous Gaúcho musicians, Zé Mendes (1939-1974) worked for 15 years in a 
farm located in Santa Terezinha, writing music during idle time. Subsequently 
famous all over Brazil, the musician is honored in the José Mendes Memorial, a 
violin-shaped building erected in Santa Terezinha in 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghDRt3V-UTc 
José Mendes Memorial, UPFTV
Ivan Sache, 17 July 2020
The flag and arms of Esmeralda are prescribed by Municipal Law No. 231 
promulgated on 21 May 1985.
Article 2.
The coat of arms of the 
municipality shall obey the following design and description;
A 
Portuguese shield, with a white background featuring in chief an emerald vert 
(green), the gem that gives its name to the municipality and symbolizes the 
beauty and color of its fields, forests, and Brazilian pinewoods.
Beneath the 
emerald is represented the stylized contour of a cow skin, which by its rustic 
character represents the territory when ruled by wild Indians and the first 
steps of colonization. Scattered over the cow skin are; in chief dexter a 
Maltese cross gules (red), used by the Portuguese during the discovery epos, 
which also highlights the religious feeling of the inhabitants of Esmeralda; in 
chief sinister, a brown mate calabash, symbolizing the vivid traditionalism that 
is part of our building, as well as union, friendship and hospitality; in the 
center, projected vertically over a representation of plains and mountains, an 
araucaria vert (green), representing vegetation as the most typical tree in the 
region, especially through its superb and majestic canopy, similar to a Gaúcho.
In canton, vert (green) with vertical furrows argent running down from the 
dexter side to the base, a representation of agriculture; in base sinister, also 
vert (green), a representation of the plains with a bovine cattle, highlighting 
cattle-breeding. Beneath, a line running from the dexter to the sinister side, 
superimposed with a representation of mountains vert (green), which also form 
the municipality's topography.
The shield surmounted by a brown, 
three-towered mural crown. Beneath the shield a scroll inscribed with the 
municipality's name and its date of political emancipation. The shield 
surrounded sinister by a soybean plant and dexter by a maize plant, the two vert 
(green) and or (yellow), representing the main crops in the municipality.
Article 4.
The flag of the municipality of Esmeralda shall have for 
official colors green, red and yellow, arranged in three horizontal stripes, the 
upper green, the lower yellow, and the central red charged with the municipal 
coat of arms, representing:
I. Green, hope in the future of the municipality 
and its inhabitants due to the potential represented by the plains, mountains 
and plants.
II. Yellow, the income resulting from work.
III. Red, the 
color of blood shed by the forerunners in the struggle for the right to dignity 
of the Riograndense people.
Article 5.
The flag's features shall obey 
the following rules:
I. The flag's width shall be of 12 units.
II. The 
flag's length shall be of 18 units
III. The width of the horizontal stripes 
shall be of 4 units.
IV. The coat of arms shall be centered on the red 
stripe, of 4 units in width, with the mural crown in the green stripe and the 
scroll in the yellow stripe.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/rs/e/esmeralda/lei-ordinaria/1985/24/231/lei-ordinaria-n-231-1985-institui-o-brasao-e-a-bandeira-como-simbolos-do-municipio-e-da-outras-providencias
Leis Municipais database
The flag in actual use has the same 
proportions as the flags of Brazil and Rio Grande do Sul and the coat of arms 
inscribed on a white disc.
Photos
https://www.camaraesmeralda.rs.gov.br> 
http://www.esmeralda.rs.gov.br/v-noticia.php?n=581 
http://www.8csm.eb.mil.br/index.php/2-destaque/134-esmeralda-rs-,-cerimonia-de-culto-à-bandeira-nacional.html 
Ivan Sache, 17 July 2020