National personification

Britannia arm-in-arm with Uncle Sam symbolizes the British-American alliance in World War I.

Iudaea Capta, "Conquered Judaea", commemorative coin issued by the Roman emperor Vespasian (left) after the Jewish War

An early example of National personification in a gospel book dated 990: Sclavinia, Germania, Gallia, and Roma, bringing offerings to Emperor Otto III.

In this Allegory depicting the 1576 Pacification of Ghent by Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne, the seated women represent a short-lived unity among the embattled provinces of what would become the present-day Belgium and Netherlands

1909 cartoon in Puck shows (clockwise) US, Germany, Britain, France and Japan engaged in naval race in a "no limit" game.

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

Some early personifications in the Western world tended to be national manifestations of the majestic wisdom and war goddess Minerva/Athena, and often took the Latin name of the ancient Roman province. Examples of this type include Britannia, Germania, Hibernia, 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 more broadly, the Roman state, and who was revived in the 20th Century as the personification of Mussolini's "New Roman Empire". Examples of representations of the everyman or citizenry in addition to the nation itself are Deutscher Michel, John Bull and Uncle Sam.^[1]

Personifications by country or territory[]

Location	Personification	Animal used for the same purpose
Albania	Mother Albania (Nëna Shqipëria)
The Americas	Personification of the Americas
Argentina	Effigy of the Republic/Liberty/Progress/Fatherland, Gaucho
Armenia	Mother Armenia (Mayr Hayastan; lit. "Mother Hayastan")
Australia	Little Boy from Manly	Boxing kangaroo
Austria	Austria (Personification)
Bangladesh	Bangamata (lit. Mother Bengal).^[2]	Bengal tiger^[3]
Belgium	La Belgique or Belgica.	Brabantic Lion, Leo Belgicus
Brazil	Efígie da República; the Bandeirante (only in São Paulo State and Minas Gerais); the "Tropeiro" (in Minas Gerais); the Candango (in Brasília); the Gaúcho (in Rio Grande do Sul);
Bulgaria	Mother Bulgaria
Cambodia	Preah Thong and Neang Neak
Canada	Mountie,^[4] Johnny Canuck,^[5] Le Vieux de '37 (French Canada), Canada Bereft also known as Mother Canada (at the Canadian National 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"^[6]	Canadian beaver
Chile	El Roto, El Huaso, Doña Juanita (an average Chilean woman from the countryside)
China and Taiwan	Jade Emperor	Chinese dragon
Colombia	Juan Valdez
Croatia	Mother Croatia (Mati Hrvatska)
Czechia	Čechie, Czech Vašek, Svejk.	double-tailed Czech lion
Denmark	Holger Danske, Mor Danmark
Dominican Republic	Conchoprimo
Egypt	Mother of the World (Om El Donia)
European Union	Europa or Europa regina	Zeus as a white bull
Finland	Finnish Maiden (Suomi-neito)
France	Marianne	Gallic rooster
Georgia	Georgia: "Mother of a Georgian" (Kartlis Deda)
Germany	Germany: Germania, Deutscher Michel Regional Bavaria: Bavaria, Berlin: Berolina, Bremen: Brema (de), Brunswick: Brunonia (de), Franconia: Franconia (de), Frankfurt: Francofurtia (de), Hamburg: Hammonia, Prussia: Borussia (de), Palatinate: Palatia, Saxony: Saxonia (de)	Reichsadler, Bundesadler Regional: Berliner Bär, Bavarian Lion, Marcher Eagle (Brandenburg), Prussian Eagle
Greece	Hellas
Haiti	Ezili Dantor, Katrin (based on the real life Haitian hero, Catherine Flon)
Hungary	The Lady of Hungaria
Iceland	The Lady of the Mountains (Fjallkonan)
India	Bharat Mata ("Mother India")	Bengal tiger, Indian elephant
Indonesia	Ibu Pertiwi	Garuda Pancasila
Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan	Rostam^[7]^[8]^[9]	Lion and sun
Ireland	Ériu, Banba, Fódla, Kathleen Ni Houlihan, Hibernia, The Old Woman of Beare^[10]
Israel	Srulik
Italy	Italia Turrita, Roma	Italian wolf
Japan	Amaterasu, Emperor Jimmu	Green Pheasant, Koi
Kenya	Wanjiku
Korea ( North Korea and South Korea - despite mutual enmity, both states lay claim to the same historical heritage)	Dangun, Ungnyeo, Yangban	Korean Tiger, Chollima
Kyrgyzstan	Manas
Latvia	Milda
Lithuania	Vytautas
Low Lands or Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg)		Leo Belgicus
Malaysia	Hang Tuah^[11]^[12]	Malayan tiger^[13]
Malta	Melita
Mexico	(es), La China Poblana	Golden eagle
Morocco		Barbary Lion
Montenegro	Fairy of Lovćen, Mother Montenegro
Netherlands	Dutch Maiden	Dutch Republic Lion, Leo Hollandicus, Leo Belgicus
New Zealand	Zealandia^[14]	Kiwi
North Macedonia	Mother Macedonia^[15]^[16]
Norway	[no], stereotyp. Ola Nordmann & Kari Nordmann, hist. Nór
Palestine	Handala
Peru	Libertad also known as Madre Patria (Allegory of the Peruvian Motherland)	Vicuña
Philippines	Ináng Bayan, Filipinas, Juan dela Cruz	Philippine Carabao
Poland	Polonia	White eagle
Portugal	Zé Povinho, Eu nacional (National Self), Republic effigy, Guardian Angel of Portugal
Romania	Romania Moderna
Russia	Mother Russia/Mother Motherland	Russian bear
Serbia	Mother Serbia, Kosovo Maiden
Singapore		Merlion
Slovakia	Jánošík
Slovenia	Kralj Matjaž ("King Matjaž", a legendary king in Slovenia and some other nations), Peter Klepec^{[citation needed]}
Spain	Hispania	Hispanic Lion
Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka Matha
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.^[17]
Sweden	Mother Svea
Switzerland	Helvetia
Thailand	Siam Devadhiraj (พระสยามเทวาธิราช "The Guardian Angel of Siam")	White elephant
Ukraine	Cossack Mamay
United Kingdom	Britannia (United Kingdom), John Bull (England), Dame Wales (Wales)	The Lion and the Unicorn (England and Scotland), Bulldog (United Kingdom), Welsh dragon (Wales)
United States	Uncle Sam (government personification), Lady Liberty, Columbia, Johnny Reb (The South, obsolete), Billy Yank (The North, obsolete), Brother Jonathan (New England, obsolete)	Bald Eagle, Timber rattlesnake (American Revolution, obsolete)
Uruguay	Personification of Uruguay
Vietnam	The Four Immortals, Hùng King

References[]

^ Eric Hobsbawm, "Mass-Producing Traditions: Europe, 1870-1914," in Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, eds., The Invention of Tradition (Cambridge, 1983), 263-307.
^ Ahmed, Salahuddin (2004). Bangladesh: Past and Present. APH Publishing. p. 310. ISBN 8176484695. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
^ "NATIONAL SYMBOLS". Bangladesh Tourism Board. Bangladesh: Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
^ McGill, Robert (2017). War Is Here: The Vietnam War and Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 37. ISBN 9780773551589. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
^ Barber, Katherine (2007). Only in Canada You Say: A Treasury of Canadian Language. Oxford University Press Canada. p. 70. ISBN 9780195427073.
^ "Library and Archives Canada".
^ https://www.academia.edu/17124620/Rostam_A_Complex_Puzzle_A_New_Approach_to_the_Identification_of_the_Character_of_Rostam_in_the_Iranian_National_Epos_Sh%C4%81hn%C4%81me
^ Dallmayr, Fred (25 August 1999). Border Crossings: Toward a Comparative Political Theory. ISBN 9780739152546.
^ https://papyrus.bib.umontreal.ca/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1866/14232/Heck_Isabel_2003_memoire.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
^ O'Rourke Murphy, M. & MacKillop, J. (2006). An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama.
^ Liok Ee Tan (1988). The Rhetoric of Bangsa and Minzu. Monash Asia Institute. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-86746-909-7.
^ Melanie Chew (1999). The Presidential Notes: A biography of President Yusof bin Ishak. Singapore: SNP Publications. p. 78. ISBN 978-981-4032-48-3.
^ Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. Greenwood. p. 101. ISBN 978-0313344961.
^ https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/32532/south-african-war-memorial-waimate
^ "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 Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ Bulgarian graphic representation of Bulgaria, East Rumelia and North Macedonia
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-03-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links[]

[1] Eric Hobsbawm, "Mass-Producing Traditions: Europe, 1870-1914," in Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, eds., The Invention of Tradition (Cambridge, 1983), 263-307.

[2] Ahmed, Salahuddin (2004). Bangladesh: Past and Present. APH Publishing. p. 310. ISBN 8176484695. Retrieved July 11, 2012.

[visitbangladesh.gov.bd2-3] "NATIONAL SYMBOLS". Bangladesh Tourism Board. Bangladesh: Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2015-09-10.

[4] McGill, Robert (2017). War Is Here: The Vietnam War and Canadian Literature. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 37. ISBN 9780773551589. Retrieved 17 May 2019.

[5] Barber, Katherine (2007). Only in Canada You Say: A Treasury of Canadian Language. Oxford University Press Canada. p. 70. ISBN 9780195427073.

[6] "Library and Archives Canada".

[7] ttps://www.academia.edu/17124620/Rostam_A_Complex_Puzzle_A_New_Approach_to_the_Identification_of_the_Character_of_Rostam_in_the_Iranian_National_Epos_Sh%C4%81hn%C4%81me

[8] Dallmayr, Fred (25 August 1999). Border Crossings: Toward a Comparative Political Theory. ISBN 9780739152546.

[9] ttps://papyrus.bib.umontreal.ca/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1866/14232/Heck_Isabel_2003_memoire.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

[10] O'Rourke Murphy, M. & MacKillop, J. (2006). An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama.

[11] Liok Ee Tan (1988). The Rhetoric of Bangsa and Minzu. Monash Asia Institute. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-86746-909-7.

[12] Melanie Chew (1999). The Presidential Notes: A biography of President Yusof bin Ishak. Singapore: SNP Publications. p. 78. ISBN 978-981-4032-48-3.

[13] Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. Greenwood. p. 101. ISBN 978-0313344961.

[14] ttps://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/32532/south-african-war-memorial-waimate

[15] "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 Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[16] Bulgarian graphic representation of Bulgaria, East Rumelia and North Macedonia

[17] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-03-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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National personification

Contents

Personifications by country or territory[]

See also[]

References[]

Further reading[]

External links[]