| Description |
Of the three entries by this artist, this flag has the most symbology and meaning. From a design perspective, it generally follows the format of the original Utah flag, but has been simplified. Its blue background reflects the same color of the traditional Utah flag. From my indepennant research, most Utahns struggle with the idea of changing the flag's color from navy blue. Although keeping bees within a straw "skep" that has no frames is presently outlawed, the skep icon carries with it the flag's original meanings: industry, unity, and teamwork. Originally, the skep image was used to to convey the "Kingdom of God" by settlers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who arrived in 1847. Bees, honey, and the hive have some religious and masonic meanings. Bees and beekeeping were also used throughout arid Egypt, and were the earliest civilization known to practice large-scale beekeeping. Although the bee is small, in great unified numbers a bee's hive invokes a symbol of great power. In this skep rendition, its straw coils are angled at the same degree as the bee's hexagon, 120º. The skep's outer form, including the entry/exit of the hive, reveals a sum of 9 corners. The number 9 commemorates the September 9th date of Utah being accepted as a Territory of the United States-a significant date on the path to Utah's eventual statehood. A hexagon's shape itself has six corners, which reflects the same number of corners of the state's eventual geographic shape. The skep is also divided in half vertically, not only as a design element to evoke three-dimensionality, but to represent the hotter western sun, which tends to melt the snow on the west of a mountain long before it can be melted on the east. This melted snow is the primary source of Utah's precipitation, and has been key to the establishment of Utah. The skep is made of seven coils, to signify the seventh month, when the Pioneers first entered the region. This mimics the same number of skep coils in today's flag. The break at the bottom of the skep doubles both as an entry and exit, but can also illustrate a general reverence for the Sabbath Day, wherein Saints were and are admonished to "break" from their usual 6-days of labor and industry. Surrounding the skep are six individual Sego Lily flowers, each with a pink-violet center. These six flowers honor the 6 Native American Tribes which originally settled throughout the arid environment. These tribes had found the Sego bulb to be a food source, and their knowledge spread to the later settlers of the arid land. The Christian settlers sought the bulb, dug it, and survived from it. It was said in the Bible that "we love him, because he first loved us". The Sego Lily is a reminder of this reciprocal love, and its icon acts as a reminder to all who enter Utah to first show forth love. Dually surrounding and "protecting" the skep, are six gold stars. Each star represents the six branches of the armed forces of the United States of America. Even before the acceptance of Utah as a Territory and the State of Deseret, settlers of this land served the United States government [Mormon Battalion]. Utahns have contributed, are contributing, and will continue to contribute, to the armed forces. The gold stars honor those who gave, give, and will continue to give their lives in the protection of our country-both native and non-native. It is the opinion of the artist that Utah's present flag design is somewhat exhaustive in its U.S. iconography. Historically, the United States Government was often adversarial to those within Utah-both native and non-native. To embolden the rich history of our state's inhabitants despite their documented struggle, the artist is impressed to magnify the settlers who worked the land nonetheless, enough to "make the honey flow"-which was not easy. Therefore, the traditional American iconography that once bedecked the flag has been lessened, and instead accentuates the state's history and eventual statehood, which took place almost a half century after the arrival of its predominant Christians. It suffices the artist that the six gold stars honorably memorialize and represent the fidelity of the State's inhabitants to the Country, and the state's reciprocal protection by the Country. |
