Emblem, Colors and March
Municipal Emblem
In the local historiography, there have been three municipal emblems found. The first one, from immemorial times, was valid until 1877. The second one was valid for 92 years, from 1877 to 1960. The third one is the current one, which came into force the 19th December 1969. From these three, the current one is the only one that is enameled, as it has colors.
The processed dossier was approved by the Town Hall in the plenary session of 21st February 1969. The administrative dossier cited above and the Memory were drafted by José Antonio Delgado Orellana, which were sent to the Royal Spanish Academy of History, that emitted a favorable inform. Finally, the Council of Ministers approved it in the date cited above, the 19th December of 1969.
In virtue of the said before, the municipal emblem of Olvera is legalized and restored. In addition, it is heraldic, as it is made according to the Heraldry rules, that is the science and the art of badges and blazons of any type (nation, village, lineage, family…etc).
In the borders, it has the inscription “De mi sale la paz” (The peace sprouts from me). In the center three pieces appear: a tower and two olive branches lying, filleting and with fruits. As exterior ornament, it only figures the crown which is open.
In consequence, the description according to the arm is the following:
"De gules, una torre donjonada de oro, mazonada de sable,
acostada de dos ramas de olivo de sinople, fileteadas de plata,
bordura de oro, con la inscripción "De mi sale la paz",
en las letras de sable. Al timbre corona real abierta"
With date of 30th November of 2004, the General Direction of Local Administration of Andalucía’s Government issued a decision for the inscription of the emblem and the flag of Olvera in the Andalucian Register of Local Entities.
Pedro Rodríguez Palma, Official Chronicle of Olvera City. February 2008
Municipal Colors
The 4th July of 1998 is a significant day down in the local historiography because the Decree came into force the 9th June of the President of the Andalucian Government, D. Manuel Chaves González, who authorizes the Town Hall to adapt his municipal flag.
In the corresponding expedient all the municipal parties, PSOE, PP, CIP and IU-LV-CA. The initiative was launched by the Candidatura Independiente de Progreso (CIP, Independent Candidate of Progress), that by means of his spokesperson by then Cristóbal Reina Rendón rendered account of the proposal about the institutionalization of a municipal Flag, in the Plenary celebrated the 4th July of 1996.
After diverse paperwork, the important meeting is settled up in the 12th May of 1997, which was presided by the mayor by then Fráncisco Párraga Rodríguez to which was attended by Mr. Párrage Pérez (PP, Jiménez Gómez (CIP) and Rendón Ramos (IL-LV-CA), as well as by Mr. Pedro Rodríguez Palma, Secretary of the City Council, who presented a legal and historical study as its base of departure to organize the Flag of Olvera. There was a full agreement about the project, that continued its normal course until being approved, with initial character and unanimously in the Plenary session of 28th July of 1997. The definitive approval by Decree was the 9th June of 1998 by the President of Andalucía Government, published in the BOJA the 4th July of the same year.
The inspiring principles of the Flag are
- Historic tradition. The flag recollects the historical past of our village, carrying on it all the most relevant and peculiar events that took place in Olvera. This principle has no temporal limits and therefore, it also includes the present, even collecting all the future aspirations of the town.
- Unity. This is the first aim, that we all get integrated in it. There will be only a flag for everybody. It won’t be unique nor exclusive to anybody.
- Agreed. All the paperwork is agreed by all the political groups without any dissenting voice. On the other hand, it was opened a public information for those people who wanted to take part with their opinions.
- Unanimity. In virtue of the gotten consensus, all the agreements were adapted by the Town Hall by unanimity.
- Continuity. The Flag of Olvera will have stability over time. Precisely because it is wanted to last, the Flag is laid over solid basis, over these principles cited above. Likewise, the colors will also ease this continuity
In consequence with the five principles exposed, it has been determined that the colors of our Flag are: light blue, white and green. These three colors are historical colors of Olvera. They aren’t chosen for being beautiful nor for color matching but because they’re the traditional ones. The same treat is given to each color, the same importance, and that’s why all the stripes are the same width. The order from left to right obeys just to chronological reasons.
To the white color, centered in the Flag, has been added in the municipal emblem, in order to outline the antiquity of our township.
1.- Light blue: The natural environment where our village is settled up in, offers almost the whole year, a light blue in Olvera’s sky, which obviously affects the urban and rural landscape. On the other hand, it is a Marian color, linked to the Virgin Mary, mainly in its dedication of Inmaculada Concepción. The Marian tradition of Olvera has been based on images, so much venerated as the ones disappeared in Caños Santos, of Carmen and of Socorro, enduring in Ntra. Sra. de los Remedios, pratron saint of our city. This emotion devoted to the village, manifested for so many years, has been also wanted to be included in the meaning of our flag.
2.-White: Because it is the symbol of peace. Our Arabic past ended by the end of July 1324. Ibraim-Ibn-Utman waved a white standard in the Weapons Square of the castle as a sign of surrender before the siege in Olvera’s fortress by the young Castilian king Alfonso XI.The white color, the peace, appeared in the old municipal emblem of Olvera, under the motto “The peace will sprout from me” and it appears in the current emblem with the inscription “The peace sprouts from me”.Another justifying reason for the white is quite current. In 1969, due to the predominance of the lime on the buildings and due to the transparent light, Olvera was included in the Route of White Villages.
3.-Green: Olvera has been a village traditionally agricultural and livestock, in whose fields stands out the green color. In its fields, the Olvera people has always worked on it, so it is a memory for their effort to include the green color within the municipal Flag.On the other hand, this color is a symbol of hope, and as it was said above, the flag is wanted to have a projection of future, as it also recollects the local aspirations. The green color, then means, the hope of Olvera in its future.
Finally, it is necessary to remember that they both, white and green, were the colors of the flags and standards of our muslim ancestors and that’s why they have been integrated within the Andalucía flag.
The official presentation of the Olvera’s flag was at 12:00 am, the 14th March 1999.
Text extracted from the book “Olvera histories” by Mr. Pedro Rodríguez Palma. Official chronicler of Olvera.
March
In 1940, the orchestra “Ilipa” was founded, creator of Olvera’s march. At the beginning, the band was formed by Manuel Cubiles, José Blanco, Antonio García and Juan Cabrera. Some years after, towards 1945, with violin, clarinet and drums, José Martel and José Maria Lozano incorporated, who conceived the idea that Olvera must had a march. Cubiles wrote the lyrics and Lozano the sheet music. Finished the work, the authors dedicated it to the City Council, in whose events hall it made debut the 31st July 1948. Olvera’s march is incorporated into the musical repertoire of the band, which plays in wedding ceremonies and in Sunday dancing events that were organized by the society Casino of Olvera. Towards 1958, due to different random reasons, the components dissolved and the band disappears, so the march is forgotten.
The 3rd September of 1983, the City Council organized a popular tribute to the cited Manuel Cubiles Alvarez. We made the biographical and professional sketch of the honored, giving lecture to the lyrics of the march “Olvera”, which was greatly received. Since then, it was ran the idea to revitalize it. Mr. José Luis Palacios, from Ronda, would rebuild the music sheet. In the fair of August 1984, in the municipal stand, 26 years after, the orchestra Jota-Cuatro could launch to the wind the lively notes of music of the reborn march.
Lastly, and under the patronage of the City Council, it has been edited, in a cassette, Olvera’s march, interpreted by the cited band Jota-Cuatro along with the performances of the local chirigotas.
The lyrics of the march is the following:
"Olvera pueblo precioso
de rancia estirpe moruna
tu castillo esta orgulloso
porque lo besa la luna.
Tus mujeres son hermosas
con destellos de sultana
fragantes como las rosas
alegres y salerosas
como las coplas gitanas.
Novia gentil de los vientos
Olvera tierra bravía
erez luz y sentimiento
y orgullo de Andalucía.
O L V E R A
de nobleza sin igual
te pones una corona
cuando tu blasón pregon
que de tí saldrá la paz"
Text extracted from “Olvera histories” by Mr. Pedro Rodríguez Palma, Official Chronicler of Olvera’s City Council.