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Porecatu, Paraná (Brazil)

image by Dirk Schönberger, 16 September 2011
Source: http://www.porecatu.pr.gov.br

About the Flag

About the Flag

Seven horizontal dark blue and white stripes, the white stripes with narrow red stripes in their centres, and a white triangle extending from the hoist, bearing the municipal arms.

Official website at http://www.porecatu.pr.gov.br
Dirk Schönberger, 16 September 2011

The municipality of Porecatu (14,183 inhabitants in 2010; 292 sq. km) is located in north central Paraná, on the border with the São Paulo State, here, River Paranapanema. Porecatu was founded in 1941 by Ricardo Lunardelli and his sons Urbano and João. They founded the "Usina Central Paraná - Agricultura, Indústria e Comércio", the main industrial complex producing cane alcohol and sugar in Paraná. Purchased in 1972 by the Atalia group, the factory became the 3rd biggest alcohol and sugar factory in South America. Named Brasília in 1942 (the proposed names of Canaã, Capim and Ricardópolis were rejected), the settlement was renamed Porecatu (since a Brasília already existed in Minas Gerais) when established a district, part of the municipality of Sertanópolis, by State Law No. 199 of 30 December 1943. The municipality of Porecatu was established by State Law No. 2 of 10 October 1947 and inaugurated on 5 November 1947.
The Porecatu War broke out in the late 1940s in the village of Vila Progresso, then part of Porecatu and today a district of Centenário do Sul, opposing smallholders ("posseiros") to the big landlords ("fazendeiros"). The government that succeeded in 1947 the Estado Novo regime supported the landlords' claims, ordering the expelling of the smallholders. Supported by the Brazilian Communist Party, they resisted the militia established by Lunardelli; the revolt was suppressed in 1952 by the State police.

The symbols of Porecatu were designed by Arcinoê Antonio Peixoto de Faria.

On the flag, the coat of arms represents the municipal government, placed on a white triangle representing the seat of the municipality. The stripes represent the municipal power spreading over the whole municipal territory. The blue quarters represent the rural estates present on the municipal territory.

The coat of arms uses a Samnitic shield, the first style of shield introduced to Portugal from France, which was inherited by the Brazilian heraldry as a symbol of the colonizing race and main component of our nation. The mural crown is the universal symbol of government, with eight towers standing for a town of 2nd rank, that is the seat of a county ("comarca"). The field is azure, a symbol of justice, nobleness, perseverance, zeal and loyalty. In the upper part of the shield is a fleur-de-lis argent (silver) ensigned with a Queen's crown or (gold), representing Our Lady of the Apparition, the patron saint of the town. The three yellow stars represent the three members of the Lunardelli family who founded the town: the two brothers Urbano and João in cantons, and the patriarch Ricarda in the middle. In base, a waterfall argent (silver) with blue water between green rocks, makes the arms canting since Porecatu means "The Good Waterfall" in Tupi-Guarani. Argent symbolizes peace, friendship, prosperity, purity and religious feeling. Or symbolizes glory, greatness, richness, splendor and sovereignty. Vert (green) symbolizes honor, civility, courtesy, joy and abundance, representing fields greening in spring and promising profuse harvests. The shield is supported by a branch of coffee fructed and a branch of sugar cane the two proper, representing the main products of the fertile soil and the base of the municipal income. The scroll gules, the color symbol of commitment, patriotic love, audacity, intrepidness, courage and valiance, is inscribed in letters argent the toponym "Porecatu" surrounded by the years "1943" and "1947", the years of creation of the district of Porecatu and of its political emancipation, respectively.
http://www.porecatu.pr.gov.br/simbolos.html

Ivan Sache, 23 February 2012