It's It's been a while, but because we're a) into flags, b) into suns, and c) into numbers associated with Freemasonry, we thought we'd take a gander at the flag of Kazakhstan.
The flag adheres to the basic "rules" of good flag design: not too many colors (2 or 3), meaningful symbolism, no seals or writing, simplicity, and uniqueness.
One might argue the vertical band to the left is an unnecessary complication, but I don't think so, because it's a typical pattern of Kazakhstan. That said, I could see the flag without the design and not "losing" anything. The band was originally red, and changing it to yellow was a good decision.
The design of the sun is not like the Argentine/Uruguay type but more like that of Taiwan or Namibia, in that the rays are triangles detached from the circle. And there are 32 of them. These 32 rays are said to represent the stages of grain development, but I always geek out on the Masonic use of this number. There are 32 degrees in the Scottish Rite, or 33 if we count the ultimate, honorary degree. The Rite is also, it so happens, to be symbolized by an eagle.
When I learned about this,. I didn't think it was an intentional Masonic message wink to those on the level. A 32-rayed sun? Coincidence.
Here's Wikipedia on the flag's symbolism. No Masonry mentioned:
....The pattern represents the art and cultural traditions of the old Khanate and the Kazakh people. The turquoise background symbolises the peace, freedom, cultural, and ethnic unity of Kazakh people including the various Turkic people that make up the present-day population such as the Kazakhs, Tatars, Uyghurs, Uzbeks, as well as the significant Indo-European peoples. The sun represents a source of life and energy. It is also a symbol of wealth and abundance; the sun's rays are a symbol of the steppe's grain which is the basis of abundance and prosperity.
People of different Kazakh tribes had the golden eagle on their flags for centuries. The eagle symbolises the power of the state. For the modern nation of Kazakhstan the eagle is a symbol of independence, freedom and flight to the future.
So, there you go. The end. And then....
I was about to put this to bed and then decided to Google "masonry and Kazakhstan." What resulted surprised me. Apparently the capital city, created pretty much from scratch, is considered to be rife with occult and Masonic symbolism in it's architecture, parks, and monuments, including pyramids, towers, 32 symbolism, pentagrams, an owls. Hoo boy, this place has it all. I have a lot to unpack here; it's not so much a rabbit hole as a full-on warren. Gonna need to dig into this and get back atcha.
Until then, check out this link. Don't know if I can add much more, and it's just so much to deal with!
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