Presentation

West of Gdańsk–Danzig, the Kashubians or Cassubians of the Kaszëbë speak a West Slavic language.
Their ethnic flag takes up the two colors black and gold from the coat of arms of the Kashubian Country, the sable griffin on a gold field, still in use.

We reproduce here a floral motif widely attested in embroidery. This design, like others of the same configuration, is used by many Kashubian associations. Its meaning is explained as follows: ‘Kashubian embroidery, with the stylized flowers that distinguish it, is based on seven traditional colors: three kinds of blue, for the sky, the sea, and the lakes [which give Kashubia its nickname of the “Blue Country”]; green for the forests; black for the soil; yellow for the sun; red for the defenders of the land’ (Norbert Maczulis, in Muzeum Kaszubskie, Kartuzy). The use of these floral motifs is inseparable from the ethnic heritage.