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Cascavel, Paraná (Brazil)

image by Dirk Schönberger, 11 July 2011
Source: http://www.cascavel.pr.gov.br/simbolos.php

About the Flag

About the Flag

A white flag bearing the municipal arms centred.

Official website at http://www.cascavel.pr.gov.br
Dirk Schönberger, 11 July 2011

The municipality of Cascavel (289,339 inhabitants in 2010, therefore the 5th most populous municipality in Paraná; 2,100 sq. km) is the capital of western Paraná, being located 500 km of Curitiba. Cascavel was settled in the late 1910s by colonists from São Paulo exploiting yerba maté. On 28 March 1928, José Silvério de Oliveira established a shop on the crossroads of trails used by yerba maté collectors, cowboys and troops, which was the first step into the growth of the village. In the 1930s, timber exploitation superseded yerba maté collection, causing the immigration of several families from Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Most colonists were of Polish, German and Italian origin. After the exhaustion of timber resource, Cascavel turned to agriculture, aviculture and cattle-breeding, still the main sources of income. Named Cascavel in 1936, the new village was renamed Aparecida dos Portos by the parish priest, without any support of the inhabitants. Accordingly, the district of Cascavel, part of Foz de Iguaçu, was established by Municipal Law No. 7,573 of 20 October 1938. The municipality of Cascavel was established on 14 December 1951, but the Law was signed by the State Governor only on 14 December 1952. Municipal Law No. 5,689 of 20 December 2010 prescribes the official date of foundation of Cascavel as the 14 December 1952. The local tradition says that the town was named for the rattlesnake ("cascavel"). A group of early colonists allegedly coined the name after having found a big rattlesnake nest near a river.

The flag of Cascavel is prescribed by Municipal Law No. 5,225 of 22 May 2009, granting an official status to the "provisory flag" already in use. The flag has the same dimensions as the national flag and is white with the municipal coat of arms in the middle. The Law also prescribes blue and white as the official colors of the municipality.

The coat of arms of Cascavel is prescribed by Municipal Law No. 243 of 9 October 1963. The shield is of modern style, surmounted by a four-towered mural crown representing the municipality status. The shield is "Azure a bordure argent a rattlesnake or ensigned by a crown of the same cantonned with four stars argent. Blue means justice and vigilance. The rattlesnake (Portuguese, "cascavel") makes the arms canting; or symbolizes a rich and generous town, economically strong. The crown or represents the patron saint of the municipality, Our Lady of the Apparition, protecting the religious feeling and prosperity of the inhabitants. The four stars argent stand for peace, purity, integrity and gentleness to be expressed by the inhabitants. The bordure of the shield represents rivers Piquiri and Iguaçu that fertilize the soil of the municipality. The green ornament ("fitão") supporting the shield recalls that the local soil is conducive to various crops and allows profuse harvests.
http://www.cascavel.pr.gov.br/simbolos.php

Ivan Sache, 13 February 2012