National emblem of Indonesia

The national emblem of Indonesia is called Garuda Pancasila. It shows a big Garuda with a heraldic shield on its chest and a scroll in its legs. This shield has five symbols that stand for Pancasila, the five main ideas of Indonesia's national ideology.

The Garuda holds a white ribbon scroll with the words Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. This means "Unity in Diversity." It shows that even though Indonesia has many different people, they all work together as one nation.

The design of Garuda Pancasila was made by Sultan Hamid II from Pontianak and supervised by Sukarno. It became the official national emblem on February 11, 1950, and is a proud symbol of Indonesia today.

History

Garuda, the carrier of the Hindu god Vishnu, is seen in many old temples in Indonesia, like Mendut, Borobudur, and Prambanan. In stories, Garuda means knowledge, power, bravery, loyalty, and discipline. After Indonesia became free, it needed a national emblem. A group was made to pick one, and two designs were the last choices. The design by Sultan Hamid II was picked and changed a little over time. President Sukarno showed the final design to everyone in 1950. The emblem shows Garuda holding a shield that stands for Pancasila, Indonesia's main beliefs.

Scroll and motto

Main article: Bhinneka Tunggal Ika

The Garuda bird in Indonesia's emblem holds a scroll with the country's motto, "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika". This phrase means "Different but still one." It shows the importance of unity among people who are unique. This idea helped build a strong and peaceful nation in Indonesia.

Uses

The National Emblem of Indonesia represents the Indonesian government. You can see it on important buildings like palaces, government offices, and embassies. It is also in classrooms, usually above pictures of the President and Vice-President.

The emblem appears on naval ships to show they belong to the government. Leaders such as governors and mayors wear it on their hats, and the President uses it on airplanes. Many official flags, like those of ministries, provinces, the military, and police, feature the emblem too. It is also part of the symbols for important groups like the Corruption Eradication Commission, General Elections Commission, People's Representative Council, and Regional Representative Council.

In sports, the emblem is used on uniforms, and the Indonesia national football team is nicknamed the "Garuda Team".

Symbolism

The national emblem of Indonesia is called Garuda Pancasila. It shows a special bird, the Garuda, holding a shield and a scroll. The Garuda is based on an eagle-like bird from Java and stands for strength and power.

The shield on the Garuda has five parts. Each part shows a symbol for one of Indonesia’s five main ideas, called Pancasila. These symbols are a star for belief in one God, a chain for unity, a banyan tree for the country's unity, a bull for democracy, and rice and cotton for fairness and justice.

Mars Pancasila

The Mars Pancasila, often called Garuda Pancasila, is a patriotic song made to honor Indonesia’s struggle. It was written by Sudharnoto.

The song’s words speak about supporting the nation, being ready to help, and moving forward together for a better future. It celebrates the ideals and spirit of Indonesia.