The Secret History Behind Mali's Flag
Mali's flag lost its central figure and kept its colors.
The first flag was adopted on April 4, 1959, when Mali joined the Mali Federation. It had the same green, gold and red vertical stripes, with a black figure with raised arms, a kanaga, on the gold band. The figure was debated, and on March 1, 1961 Mali adopted the plain tricolor.
The three colors are the Pan-African colors. Green stands for the fertility of the land, gold for the country's mineral wealth and purity, and red for the blood shed to gain independence from France.
The date printed on every Mali design in our catalog, September 22, 1960, is Independence Day.
Three stripes and a story that begins with a figure that was taken out.
Looking for a gift with a story? See our heritage gift guide, or read the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Stories page.