Symbols of Talahara
Talahara has a rich symbological tradition, rooted primarily in the art of tapestry making practiced by both Kel Aman and Kel Hadar ethnic groups. These cultures developed a complex system, or language, of icons and sigils with socio-religious significance. These sigils are a uniquely Talaharan system, even within broader Kel cultures, and are chief among the most recognizable images associated with the country.
Socialist and more specifically syndicalist iconography has also had a major impact on modern symbolic representations of Talahara. The Black Banner, the national flag, is a simple black flag that represents unostentatious unity among the commoners. Cogwheels, farming implements, and other icons of labour and the working class are common symbols used in and associated with Talahara.
Tifinaɣ, the writing system for the Takelat languages of the Kel peoples, is also a recognizable symbol of Talaharan culture. The standard Talaharan alphabet contains 28 letters, with some variation from the alphabet used by the neighbouring Kel Tenere.
Flag
Talahara's flag is a simple black flag, alliteratively referred to as the "black banner" (in Tamaziɣt: alam abašan; ⴰⵍⴰⵎ ⴰⴱⴰⵛⴰⵏ). The simple black banner was adopted by several anarchist factions during the Talaharan Civil War. Historically, Talaharan flags have consisted of single-colour blocks. The Third Talaharan Kingdom was generally represented by a medium-dark crimson banner. The Republic of Talahara adopted a green flag. The anarchists favoured black as a common colour representative of the struggle of the working classes. After the war, several variants of the flag were used, including versions with sigils or other symbols centered on a black field. Ultimately, the plain black flag was adopted in official use by the government of the United Communes.
A flag with the lion's paw sigil in red centered on a black field is often used as a variant flag. At sea, the same flag is flown as a naval ensign, with the plain black flag the only authorized civil or merchant ensign. A third variant with red waves and a red anchor sigil in the canton on a black field is used as a naval jack.
National flag, civil and merchant ensign
Variant flag, naval ensign
Naval jack
Lion's paw sigil
The national emblem of Talahara is the lion's paw sigil: a symbol taken from Talahara's artisanal tradition of tapestry weaving. The lion's paw is a representation of Talahara, drawing from its etymological origin "font of lions", and from its meaning within the symbology of Talaharan tapestry as a sigil of strength and protection. Talaharan tapestries have traditionally been woven with sigils imbuing powers into the finished pieces. These powers are occasionally treated with superstitious reverence, but in the modern era are more commonly regarded as well-wishes. Tapestries with a lion's paw imbue divine protection into a home. Sigils of trees promise easy life and happiness, grains imbue fertility, and bees promote good work. The lion's paw has been associated as a symbol of Talahara since the 9th century CE, but was only officially adopted as a symbol in 1845.