Wikipedia

National personification

A national personification is an anthropomorphic personification of a state or the people(s) it inhabits. It may appear in political cartoons and propaganda.

Britannia arm-in-arm with Uncle Sam symbolizes the British-American alliance in World War I. The two animals, the Bald eagle and the Barbary lion, are also national personifications of the two countries.

Some personifications in the Western world often took the Latin name of the ancient Roman province. Examples of this type include Britannia, Germania, Hibernia, Hispania, Helvetia and Polonia.

Examples of personifications of the Goddess of Liberty include Marianne, the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), and many examples of United States coinage. Another ancient model was Roma, a female deity who personified the city of Rome and his dominion over the territories of the Roman Empire.[1]

Examples of representations of the everyman or citizenry in addition to the nation itself are Deutscher Michel, John Bull and Uncle Sam.[2]

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Personifications by country or territory

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Location Image Personification Animal used for the same purpose
  Albania   Mother Albania Double-headed eagle
  Americas   Personification of the Americas American alligator
  Argentina   Allegory of the Republic, Gaucho
  Armenia   Mother Armenia
  Australia   Little Boy from Manly Boxing kangaroo
  Austria   Austria Double-headed eagle
  Bangladesh Bangamata[3] Bengal tiger[4]
  Belgium   La Belgique, Manneken Pis[5][6] Brabantic Lion, Leo Belgicus
  Bhutan   Thunder Dragon
  Brazil   Efígie da República
  Brunei Awang Budiman[7][8]
  Bulgaria   Mother Bulgaria Double-headed eagle
  Cambodia   Preah Thong and Neang Neak
  Canada   Mountie,[9] Johnny Canuck,[10] Canada Bereft (Vimy Memorial).

Canada was often personified as a young woman in 19th and early 20th century editorial cartoons, called simply "Canada", "Miss Canada", or sometimes "Mother Canada".[12]

Canadian beaver
  Chile   Huaso, Roto, Señora Juanita, Angel of Liberty[13] Condorito
  China and   Taiwan   Chinese dragon, Panda, hare[14]
  Colombia   Juan Valdez
  Croatia   Mother Croatia Dalmatian
  Cuba   La República Tocororo
  Cyprus   Liberty Cypriot Mouflon[15]
  Czechia   Čechie, Czech Vašek, Honza, Svejk Czech lion
  Denmark   Holger Danske, Mother Denmark Mute swan
  Dominican Republic   Conchoprimo
  Egypt   Mother of the World Sphinx
  El Salvador   Salvador del Mundo Torogoz
  Estonia   Kalevipoeg
  Europe   Europa or Europa regina
  Finland   Finnish Maiden Finnish lion
  France   Marianne Gallic rooster
  Georgia   Mother of a Georgian
  Germany   Germania, Deutscher Michel Reichsadler, Bundesadler, Berliner Bär (Berlin), Bavarian Lion (Bavaria), Marcher Eagle (Brandenburg), Prussian Eagle (Prussia)
  Greece   Hellas
  Haiti   Ezili Dantor, Le Marron Inconnu, Katrin
  Hungary   The Lady of Hungaria Turul
  Iceland   The Lady of the Mountains
  India   Bharat Mata Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, Indian Elephant, Indian peafowl
  Indonesia   Ibu Pertiwi Garuda Pancasila
  Iran,   Afghanistan and   Tajikistan   Rostam[16][17][18] Lion and sun
  Ireland   Ériu, Banba, Fódla, Kathleen Ni Houlihan, Hibernia, The Old Woman of Beare[19] Irish Hare[20]
  Israel   Srulik Lion of Judah
  Italy   Italia turrita Italian wolf[21][22]
  Japan   Yamato-hime Green Pheasant
  Kazakhstan   Altin Adam Tulpar
  Korea (  North Korea and   South Korea - despite mutual enmity, both states lay claim to the same historical heritage)   Korean Tiger, Chollima
  Kyrgyzstan   Manas Siberian ibex
  Latvia   Milda, Liberty
  Lebanon Abu Abed
  Lithuania   White Knight (Vytis) White Stallion
  Low Lands or Benelux   Leo Belgicus
  Malaysia   Hang Tuah[24][25] Malayan tiger[26]
  Malta   Melita Dolphin
  Mexico   Mexican Motherland, La China Poblana Golden eagle
  Mongolia   Genghis Khan Saker falcon
  Montenegro   Fairy of Lovćen, Mother Montenegro Double-headed eagle
  Morocco   Barbary Lion
  Netherlands   Dutch Maiden Dutch Republic Lion, Leo Belgicus
    Nepal   Gurkha, Sherpa Yeti[27]
  New Zealand   Zealandia[28] Kiwi
  Nicaragua   El Güegüense Motmot
  North Macedonia   Mother Macedonia[30][31] Lioness
  Norway   Mother Norway, Ola & Kari Nordmann, Nór
  Palestine   Handala
  Peru   Peruvian Motherland, El Perú Libre Vicuña
  Philippines
 
 La Madre Filipinas, Juan dela Cruz Philippine Carabao
  Poland   Polonia White eagle
  Portugal   Zé Povinho, Efígie da República, Guardian Angel of Portugal Rooster of Barcelos
  Rhodesia   Cecil Rhodes Sable antelope, Zimbabwe Bird
  Romania   România Lynx
  Russia   Mother Russia, General Winter Russian bear
  San Marino   Liberty, Saint Marinus
  Serbia   Mother Serbia, Kosovo Maiden Serbian eagle
  Singapore   Merlion
  Slovakia   Jánošík
  Slovenia   Kralj Matjaž
  South Africa   The Lady of Good Hope Springbok
  Spain   Hispania Hispanic Lion
  Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Matha (Mother Sri Lanka) Lion
  Suriname   Mama Sranan (Mother Suriname), a 1965 sculpture by Jozeph Klas in the center of Paramaribo, of a mother figure holding five children representing Suriname's ethnic groups in her arms.[32]
  Sweden   Mother Svea (Moder Svea)
   Switzerland   Helvetia Cow[33]
  Thailand   Siam Devadhiraj White elephant
  Turkey   Ana Vatan (Turkish Motherland) Wolf
  Turkmenistan   Oghuz Khagan Akhal-Teke
  Ukraine   Cossack Mamay Ruthenian Lion
  United Kingdom   Britannia Bulldog
  United States   Columbia, Lady Liberty[35] Bald Eagle, American Buffalo, Timber rattlesnake (American Revolution)
  Uruguay   Efigie de la República
  Uzbekistan   Timur Snow Leopard
  Venezuela Juan Bimba (obsolete)
  Vietnam   Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ Vietnamese Dragon, Lạc Bird

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Il Tempio di Venere e Roma" (in Italian). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. ^ Eric Hobsbawm, "Mass-Producing Traditions: Europe, 1870-1914," in Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, eds., The Invention of Tradition (Cambridge, 1983), 263-307.
  3. ^ Ahmed, Salahuddin (2004). Bangladesh: Past and Present. APH Publishing. p. 310. ISBN 8176484695. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  4. ^ "NATIONAL SYMBOLS". Bangladesh Tourism Board. Bangladesh: Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  5. ^ Couvreur, Manuel; Deknop, Anne; Symons, Thérèse (2005). Manneken-Pis : Dans tous ses états. Historia Bruxellae (in French). Vol. 9. Brussels: Musées de la Ville de Bruxelles. ISBN 978-2-930423-01-2.
  6. ^ Emerson, Catherine (2015). Regarding Manneken Pis: Culture, Celebration and Conflict in Brussels. Leeds: Taylor & Francis Ltd. ISBN 978-1-909662-30-8.
  7. ^ "20th SEA Games 1999". 2001-03-02. Archived from the original on 2001-03-02. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  8. ^ "Berita 2021c - Rekaan baju 'Dang Budiwati' imbau zaman gemilang Sukan SEA NBD". www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  9. ^ McGill, Robert (2017). War Is Here: The Vietnam War and Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 37. ISBN 9780773551589. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  10. ^ Barber, Katherine (2007). Only in Canada You Say: A Treasury of Canadian Language. Oxford University Press Canada. p. 70. ISBN 9780195427073.
  11. ^ Légaré, André (2008). "Inuit identity and regionalization in the Canadian Central and Eastern Arctic: a survey of writings about Nunavut". Polar Geography. 31 (3–4): 99–118. Bibcode:2008PolGe..31...99L. doi:10.1080/10889370701742845. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
  12. ^ "Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada.
  13. ^ "CHILE: 50 AÑOS DEL GOLPE. EL ÁNGEL DE LA LIBERTAD". Rascacielos. September 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  14. ^ "网民为什么会把中国称为"兔子"" [Why do Internet called China a "hare"?]. The Paper (in Chinese). 1 August 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Animals in Cyprus". AZ Animals. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  16. ^ Hassanabadi, Mahmoud. "Rostam: A Complex Puzzle: A New Approach to the Identification of the Character of Rostam in the Iranian National Epos Shāhnāme".
  17. ^ Dallmayr, Fred (25 August 1999). Border Crossings: Toward a Comparative Political Theory. Lexington Books. ISBN 9780739152546.
  18. ^ Heck, Isabel. "Le mythe de Siyâvosh: rapports entre l'épopée nationale de ferdowsi et des récits populaires en Iran (The myth of Siyâvosh: relationships between the national epic of Ferdowsi and popular stories in Iran)" (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  19. ^ O'Rourke Murphy, M. & MacKillop, J. (2006). An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama.
  20. ^ "Discovering What's the National Animal of Ireland: A Cultural Emblem Revealed". 3 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  21. ^ Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. ABC-CLIO. p. 436. ISBN 9780313344978.
  22. ^ Blashfield, Jean F. (2009). Italy. Scholastic. p. 33. ISBN 9780531120996.
  23. ^ ""Saint Mark", Franciscan Media". Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  24. ^ Liok Ee Tan (1988). The Rhetoric of Bangsa and Minzu. Monash Asia Institute. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-86746-909-7.
  25. ^ Melanie Chew (1999). The Presidential Notes: A biography of President Yusof bin Ishak. Singapore: SNP Publications. p. 78. ISBN 978-981-4032-48-3.
  26. ^ Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. Greenwood. p. 101. ISBN 978-0313344961.
  27. ^ Subba, Sanghamitra (29 January 2020). "Love it or hate it, it's abominable".
  28. ^ Phillips, Jock. "South African War memorial, Waimate".
  29. ^ Dingwall, R. "Southern Man (Dunedin Airport)", Otago Sculpture Trust, 19 November 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  30. ^ A Manifesto from the Provisional Government of Macedonia, 1881, Our mother Macedonia became now as a widow, lonely and deserted by her sons. She does not fly the banner of the victorious Macedonian army
  31. ^ Bulgarian graphic representation of Bulgaria, East Rumelia and North Macedonia
  32. ^ "Kunstschatten: Mama Sranan - Parbode Magazine". Archived from the original on 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  33. ^ Valance, Marc. (Baden, 2013) Die Schweizer Kuh. Kult und Vermarktung eines nationalen Symbols, p. 6 ff.
  34. ^ "John Bull, symbol of the English and Englishness". Historic UK. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  35. ^ "Britannia and Liberty: Behind the Design". Royal Mint. Retrieved 6 August 2024.

Further reading

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  • Lionel Gossman. "Making of a Romantic Icon: The Religious Context of Friedrich Overbeck's 'Italia und Germania.'" American Philosophical Society, 2007. ISBN 0-87169-975-3. [1]
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