RED FLAG
Very few people know the history of the national Maroccan flag. This symbol used to be a six star branch before 1915. This six-pointed star, which is called the seal of Solomon (or the star of David) is not a symbol specific to the Jews. It is in the three Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures, the symbol of wisdom, life and health. As the historian Rachid Sbihi would say. “The five-pointed star was imposed in 1915 on Sultan Moulay Youssef by the french General M. Lyautey during the military contingent”. The argument for the change put forward at the time was that the five branches of the new flag better correspond to the religion of the country since they symbolize the five pillars of Islam. It is therefore the Alaouite dahir dating from 1915 which set up the Moroccan flag in its current form. However, and throughout the period of independence, the flag of Morocco was only used on land. It only flew as a national flag in 1956, when Morocco gained independence.
I decided to create a handmade djellaba traditionnal costume with the national five star on it. The face is replaced by a mirror reflecting something else. It is a sobering portrait of the country's symbol modification and reflection about the identity and the effects on customs.
How changing a national symbol design affects a country ?