Explaining a ton of mysterious flags we found

[@JJMcCullough]

The final flag mystery has been predictably solved within the first hour! It's the flag of Dawat-e-Islami, which is an evangelical Sunni Muslim movement based around a charismatic TV preacher from Pakistan. Ewan tells me the neighborhood where the photo was taken has a lot of Pakistani immigrants.

[@Jaden-bp6kh]

J.J. McCullough thanks for including this in the comments thats what’s I’m looking for lol

[@mfarooqullah]

I am from Pakistan and I approve this message.

[@Edmonton-of2ec]

9:24 Hate to break it to you JJ but this is incorrect. Namibia was never a part of South Africa. It was militarily occupied and under the purview of the South African government but it was always a separate entity

[@djjrandler13]

thank you so much for this!

[@Fischyk_]

@@Edmonton-of2ec Hate to break it to you, but South West Africa was a territory under South African rule, AKA a part of South Africa. This is like saying Puerto Rico is not a part of the USA because it does not have equal status. Yes, the annexation was considered illegal under international law, but it being illegal does not erase the fact that it happened. You can say it was unjust, I agree, but South West Africa was functionally a part of the country of South Africa. Namibia also officially traces its independence to 1990, which was when South Africa agreed to it. Are Namibians wrong about their own view on their independence, and it is you who is correct? Seems unlikely. Your argument denies reality at worst, and makes a semantic argument on what it means to be a part of a state at best.

[@BronzeManul]

It's actually correct to call the country 'The Gambia'. It's one of 2 countries that officially include the 'The', along with 'The Bahamas'.

[@st.6413]

They do so I believe to not get confused for the similarly sounding and spelled Zambia and Namibia.

[@fithri99]

The Netherlands and The Philippines?

[@qwertyTRiG]

The only country I know that people often say "the" but they prefer without is Ukraine.

[@st.6413]

@@sohopedeco Also in Italian. In Italian, Italy is L'Italia.

[@GazilionPT]

@@sohopedeco Actually, no. Don't confuse using the article in a *sentence* ("A França é bonita") with the article actually being a *part* of the country's name (in Portuguese, the name of France is "França", not "A França"). In our sister language, Galician, yes, articles are often part of the actual name of places, but not in Portuguese. We say "O Porto fica no Norte" (Porto is in the North), but that "O" is not part of the city's name: at the entrance of Porto the sign just says "Porto", not "O Porto" (likewise on a map). By contrast, in Galician, yes, you have a sign reading "A Coruña" at the entrance to that city, and a map will show "A Coruña" (or, if in Spanish, "La Coruña").

[@crashmanno4933]

That chinese flag is actually not chinese at all, but the flag of the tigray region in Ethiopia. I'd imagine its involvement somehow involves that whole kerfuffle with Eritrea but I wouldnt know. Otherwise this is a real good video

[@aaronblygh4719]

It might be up there because of the Tigray involvement in the revolution against the Derg?

[@crashmanno4933]

@@aaronblygh4719 could be

[@aaronblygh4719]

@Francescopaolo Ragozini Thanks for that man. I thought it was something to do with it.

[@boot965]

He also mistook the United front/CNT/Zapatista flag for the Sandinista flag. Difference is that the black and red is tilted.

[@kadenelijah9329]

Are you Canadian? I’ve only ever heard my fellow Canadians say kerfuffle

[@SoundsideSherry]

You say "Flag Mysteries," I say "Vexing Vexillology" Really enjoyed this instalment, especially seeing how some of the revolutionary flags were reworked into today's national flags.

[@sovietmarshmallow1283]

Vexing vexillology sounds really cool!

[@vexingvexillologist7554]

😳

[@SupercellularChaos]

@@vexingvexillologist7554 bruh the odds

[@j3ojos]

Interestingly, the RNLI also covers the whole of the island of Ireland, so you’ll see a royal flag flying at every Irish lifeboat station too... and to my knowledge, not even the most ardent Irish republicans mind too much, you know, because they’re saving lives

[@qwertyTRiG]

It's older than Irish independence. Of course, we also still have the Royal Dublin Society, the Royal College of Surgeons, and a few others. And I attended the College of the Most Holy Trinity established by Queen Elizabeth near Dublin.

[@j3ojos]

TRiG (Ireland) quite right, all very good organisations which do very good work across Ireland, and the RCS across both countries

[@WannabeMarsanach]

No one really leaves the empire.

[@j3ojos]

Aviator I’m not sure the people of Ireland would appreciate that but go off I guess. The simple fact is that these are charities and organisations completely independent of the Crown or the British government, and are simply called that because they were given a royal charter before independence. You would need t find any recent examples of an Irish organisation (in the Republic at least) that has a new royal charter.

[@WannabeMarsanach]

@@j3ojos I am of Ireland. I wouldn't say a new royal charter, but national defence is more or less outsourced to the British.

[@Spunky1991]

With that hairstyle JJ is slowly transitioning into a 1950's housewife.

[@JJMcCullough]

Spunky1991 I cook like Betty Crocker and I look like Donna Reed 🎵

[@Spunky1991]

@@JJMcCullough 🤣🤣😂😂Glad to see you have a great sense of humor. Love your videos bro!!

[@robsonwilianwinchester9726]

@@JJMcCullough 12:02 in portuguese (I'm understand because I'm Brazil Portugal ex's colony in south America) it's means national union for total independence of Angola.keep it up men. Always great work.

[@robsonwilianwinchester9726]

@@JJMcCullough the last flag is probably dawat-e-slami. Muslim missionary in Pakistan.

[@cd9962]

I have the same hair hahaha

[@zacharyzemmel2570]

Hey JJ! So apparently “The Gambia” is actually the correct name to call the country, as opposed to “The Ukraine,” for example, which isn’t. When the Portuguese first arrived, they named it after “The River Gambia” and, thus, it became “The Gambia.” But perhaps more significantly, in 1964, the prime minister of The Gambia told the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names he wanted the country to be referred to as “The Gambia” to avoid confusion with Zambia. So now the country’s official name is “The Republic of The Gambia.”

[@stevensutton4677]

An excellent point. On "The" Ukraine, I wonder if this confusion is related to "The" UK. It's perfectly fine to say the latter (not correct technically but no one in the UK will correct you). And once you say "The UK", the tongue naturally goes to "raine".

[@PhoebusApollo360]

@@stevensutton4677 it's due to Ukraine being a Russo-slav word for borderlands, and saying "The Ukraine" kinda sounds like your calling it the Russian border.

[@LEO_M1]

@@stevensutton4677 Like the other dude said, the Ukraine’s name comes from the fact that it was created more or less to act as a buffer (or boarder) zone to other powers in Europe.

[@eltonmateusnevesneves]

But it still is a little strange, since in portuguese we still don't use the article withouth any context. Moreover, The Gambia [River] and The Gambia have opposite genders in Portuguese.

[@luftwaifucolonel]

​@topperbland1232 isn't "The Ukraine" the short form of "The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic?"

[@KhAnubis]

Ah yes, two of my favorite things, flags and airport immigration logistics!

[@caiocandido3002]

This coment was provided by the NEBULA Gang

[@ff_crafter]

KhAnubis is here 😮

[@monicat9110]

HOi

[@ahyan14]

Hi

[@whitelookinhispanic]

agreed

[@douglasmacarthur702]

11:55. just one mistake, UNITA was not Marxist. They fought a multi-decade civil war against the communist MPLA while receiving US support. To this day UNITA is Angola’s political opposition.

[@SoooooWhatt]

You are correct that UNITA (USA-backed) fought the MPLA (Russian/Cuban-backed) in the 70s and 80s (and UNITA is still an opposition to the MPLA today). Until the 1980s, UNITA was also a communist group, more specifically Maoist (maybe that's why China also briefly backed UNITA until 1975). However, in the late 1970s, UNITA became a right-wing conservative party with American and South African aid. After the Cold War, MPLA also made some changes to become a democratic socialist party. How interesting that what was once two communist parties is now a conservative party and a democratic socialist party. For more information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNITA

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaa1478]

O Savimbi não gostou desse vídeo...

[@playboicartiismydad4842]

@@SoooooWhatt No the original commenter is right read the article you linked. They aligned more with the west and anti-communism in the early 1980s in order to gain support from the US and South Africa in the civil war.

[@SoooooWhatt]

@@playboicartiismydad4842 I see: so it was communist with Chinese aid until 1975, then anti-communist with American/South African aid in the 1980s. Makes a bit more sense (I realized it later, have now updated the original comment).

[@comradejackal1917]

Until 1977 UNITA was communist. In 1977 Savimbi, their leader changed is mind and gave a speech resigning from his marxist views and denouncing them.

[@joaovitormatos8147]

7:04 that's the Anarcho-Syndicalist flag of the catalan anarchist movement of the 1930's

[@JJMcCullough]

João Vitor Matos it can be two things!

[@douglasmacarthur702]

João Vitor Matos Black and Red is the traditional AnarchoCommunist flag

[@davidmichaelf9597]

J.J. McCullough you are right about the colours, but not about the pattern! The Anarchist flag is divided diagonally, just like the one presented at the Art exhibit

[@guillaumenoire7059]

Yup it's the flag of the anarcho-syndicalists from the Spanish Civil War. Specifically the union called the CNT.

[@MrTHF]

@@guillaumenoire7059 It's the general anarcho-communist/anarcho-collectivist flag. It's used worldwide. The CNT version includes the white CNT siglas in the center, at least that's what I know from pictures and the stickers around the streets

[@liamkrusky6465]

The last flag is a Madani flag, a flag representing the Dawat-e-Islami peace movement

[@singlesinceforever1964]

Correct. I just looked it up

[@elnationalista]

Thank you

[@saimalishahid1406]

This comment needs more likes!!!

[@staff97]

Ayyyyyyyyyy

[@jo_ovin1482]

0:32 Canadian International Airport CIA

[@JJMcCullough]

Jo_ovin :0

[@Brick-Life]

BCIA- British Columbia International Airport (real one is Beijing Capital International Airport)

[@MTRHayHay]

@@Brick-Life A-Airport

[@Angel_art-entertainment]

@@JJMcCullough

[@timelordrohan9425]

Broke: vexillological expert Woke: *F L A G S P E R T*

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

Gay

[@defox5019]

@@OHYS same

[@jejtherusheddoodle23]

*_V E X P E R T_*

[@jejtherusheddoodle23]

F L E X (T A P E ) P E R T

[@jackmessick2869]

IDK, it's easier to pronounce.

[@zoomer_zveno]

7:04 Actually judging from the horizontal divide between the colours I am more inclined to think this is an anarcho-syndicalist/anarcho-communist flag and specifically the one of the revolutionary CNT-FAI trade union that operated in Spain in the 1930s and gained worlwide renown and big historical significance due to its broad popular support, involvement on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War and large-scale attempt at creating an anarchist society in Revolutionary Catalonia between 1936 and 1939.

[@LegoLiam1803]

HOI4?

[@zoomer_zveno]

@@LegoLiam1803 idk but certainly irl

[@LegoLiam1803]

Calmirdonnvs Rex in the latest HOI4 dlc, the anarchistic uprising in Catalonia can happen. It bares the same flag.

[@tomfrazier1103]

The CNT-FAI "Expropriated" at least one Packard 12 or Super Eight sedan, and painted their initials on the front doors.

[@uhpkkim]

came to the comments to say this / see if anyone had caught it

[@inwalters]

Still waiting for the movie - "J.J. McCullough: Flag Detective" - When the royal standard is stolen from the top of the House of Parliament and replaced with an unidentified flag, it's up to flag detective J.J. McCullough to id the flag, track down the thieves and restore the royal standard before the queen arrives - in 154 hours

[@RobertGrif]

Okay, I admit, I would watch that movie

[@zetjet9901]

I want this now

[@MTRHayHay]

I need that in my life

[@АляксандрГрыцкевіч]

12:25 NO! It's the flag of Tigray - region in Ethiopia seeking for autonomy and (possibly) independence

[@tenshiakuma-6388]

this guy has a lot of styles it's weird and fascinating

[@MrRobpax]

I believe the "pirate" flag is from the Ukrainian Free Territory under Nestor Maknov

[@michaelpeake7789]

That skull and crossbones looks pretty different though. On the actual flag, the skull is much smaller, and there is text, where the one in the video has more detail. Might be another anarchist group, though.

[@jerrell1169]

@@tex8788 Not the Ancom flag unless tilted at 45 degrees, same goes with Ancap and the Swastika

[@kommi7658]

@@jerrell1169 7:05 the colors are clearly split diagonally while in the Sandinista flag they're split horizontally. It's the Ancom flag

[@lioneljohnsononvacation2635]

I thought that too, ut thenI found out it was associated with them, but the group itself never used it.

[@WannabeMarsanach]

I've never been on the other side of a "weird flag" before. I'd say there's very few people in the UK or Ireland who don't know the RNLI flag.

[@qwertyTRiG]

Every ferry on the Irish Sea has donation boxes!

[@LolBot720]

It was a very weird experience. Other people must have had their flags be seen as obscure but seeing such a ubiquitous flag be unknown is strange, even if it makes sense.

[@danielyeshe]

Yeah I felt the same. I have probably known of that RNLI flag since Blue Peter did an appeal in the 90s for them.

[@LeafHuntress]

I'm Dutch & i was like; hey those are from the life boats. Here in NL the same type of organisation was first called KNZHRM before it got simplified to KNRM. Easier on the logo & flag.

[@enzolabre6295]

This is such an incredibly good series! J.J + Flags is a hell of a combo and i can't wait for more :)

[@Lucas-po8qj]

You talked about the Carnation Revolution of Portugal and coincidentally, today is the 46th anniversary of the revolution ⚘

[@lvodniza]

Ooooooooh

[@GazilionPT]

@@sohopedeco "Clove" is not "cravo", but "cravinho".

[@tomney4460]

Cool

[@GazilionPT]

@@sohopedeco Ah, as in "Gabriela, cravo e canela"? Never thought about that... :D In Portugal we always (to my knowledge) use "cravinho" (which, for the non-Portuguese speakers, is something like "little carnation").

[@robertwilloughby8050]

An (almost) bloodless revolution that has been held up as a model of its kind, although it was... a bit chaotic, to say the least. But it worked, and I say "Up Democratic Portugal".

[@MrTNTdestruction]

The skull in the revolutionary section may actually be referring to Nestor Mahkno's anarchist revolution in Ukraine, also known as the Free Territory.

[@_Drion_]

Came here for this.

[@thefringthing]

I think it would be more accurate to say that the flag belonged to the Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine, rather than the Free Territory. The Free Territory was just that: a stateless region. Hard for such a place to have any kind of "official" flag. But in any case I believe there is some speculation that the flag that is commonly attributed to the RIAU actually belonged to a different group. Complicated!

[@lioneljohnsononvacation2635]

Except it is not really. It has never been used but is often associated with them, it was probably a concept flag or something.

[@eldoradolou]

I love watching this "flagspert"! Another well done video.

[@AManOnline.]

Fun fact: the official name for a flag-spert is a "vexillophile"

[@hartenny]

12:02 I can translate it for you! The bottom says: National union to the total independence of Angola ( I'm just brazillian ok?)

[@gonk534]

Pedro Figueira My avô was one of the soldiers fighting for Portugal. He isn’t authoritarian.

[@SoooooWhatt]

I see how these replies about the "IT" in "UNITA" and it's legacy (in the war with the MPLA) is interesting. I kind of want to clarify the authoritarians of that war: the MPLA were Russian/Cuban-backed communists, while UNITA was a Maoist group backed by China until 1975, before becoming a right-wing conservative party aided by South Africa and the United States until 1992. MPLA became a democratic socialist party in the 1990s ("democratic" as in "multi-party elections", as Angola is still authoritarian), while UNITA continues being a right-wing conservative party; but in the 1970s, both were different opposing communist groups that each became less communist. More info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPLA (for the ruling party and former Russian puppets), en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNITA (for those who once were communists turning into anti-communists), and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index (scroll down until you see Angola).

[@minhle6422]

Thanks for featuring the Viet Cong flag on this video, J.J. My grandparents used to fight for this North Vietnam’s guerrilla group in the South even though our family are all Southerners. A bit more info on them: my dad’s mom was in the military wing and served as a communication officer while my mom’s dad was in the political wing and served as a diplomat who traveled to Paris in 1973 for the peace conference.

[@tktru]

“Yippie! Jerry Rubin died last week. Oh wait that should read Yippie Jerry Rubin died last week.” - Norm Macdonald

[@psy-eq1444]

ya dirty dog!

[@23texaspanda]

No, he dies in 1994

[@allanrichardson1468]

I think the quote is from a comedy news broadcast aired in 1994. Norm McDonald was a well known comedian in the 1990s.

[@tktru]

Allan Richardson He hosted Weekend Update on SNL.

[@allanrichardson1468]

tktru Thanks. That fits what I remember about him and the Yippee party (more formally the Youth International Party, YIP).

[@איתיארבל-ע3נ]

12:25 I'm pretty sure this flag actually represents the Tigery people's liberation front (TPLF), a Tigary (a people group who live in northern Ethiopia and are closely related to the Eritrean people) rebel force who fought for independence from the communist Ethiopian military government during the Ethiopian civil war of 1974-1991.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigray_People%27s_Liberation_Front

[@justamit2760]

שלום

[@איתיארבל-ע3נ]

@@justamit2760 היי

[@philagelio336]

The US customs and border protection flag is nearly identical to the Coast Guard flag

[@nathanlebel6027]

Because it is, the ensign

[@saulsutcliffe4496]

That blue/white cross flag that you mentioned earlier as the flag of the port line shipping company has another use too. When Scotland joined the UK in 1603, it was decided that there should be a new flag for the newly formed country, joining together the flags of England and Scotland. This design was nearly our new flag, but was just pipped to the post by the now Union Jack because the king preferred it.

[@ben8557]

7:06 It seems unlikely the black and red flag is the Sandanistas. The Sandanista flag has red on top and black on bottom so the flag would have to be turned upside down and then rotated at an angle. It seems more likely that it is a zoomed in version of the CNT-FAI flag used by anarchists in the Spanish Civil War commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bandera_CNT-FAI.svg.

[@greatestfoolever2744]

Flags and such were always one of my favorite topics, even prompted me to make some of my own!

[@bruhemperor5420]

J.J McCullough: *makes another flag video* Me: Googles the answer before he can say the answer Great vid tho

[@Aidan_US]

Well did you South African one

[@SalutExpla]

You better find the South African one now

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@@Aidan_US Dawat-e-Islami flag btw. Just saw further down comments.

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@@SalutExpla Dawat-e-Islami flag

[@joelgarcia1115]

Is no one going yo talk about how he pronunced "Azerbaijan" 😂😂

[@TexasGI47life]

Joel, I was surprised to see a Spanish-surnamed dude chime in about Azerbaijan. Do you prefer "Yahn" or "Zhan?"

[@quiteunknown3050]

Yeah, his pronunciation was funny.

[@vinceellis673]

his pronunciation was typical from what I hear. Maybe us Canadians do it differntly

[@joelgarcia1115]

@@TexasGI47life zhan in english, yan in spanish

[@PiousMoltar]

Well I hate to break it to you Spanish speakers but it's certainly not "yan" in Azerbaijani. It's a J as in "jump".

[@socialistazania5132]

Hi , Ewan here, 😂I'm sad to see that my flag mystery is still unresolved, does anyone know anything. I may have forgotten to mention that the flag is also on many restaurants and shops and I believe it has something to do with Ethiopia or Islam because the flags are found in areas with those two populations.

[@qwertyTRiG]

Green is a colour of both Ethiopia and Islam, isn't it? That begins to suggest a line of enquiry.

[@marcexner1631]

It's this flag: www.maktabatulmadina.net/ProductDetails/51730/Misc/3-Colour-Madani-Flag-(Good-Quality-NPH)---Large-92cm-x-62cm.aspx

[@TexasGI47life]

I am sure that everyone knows something. It just may not be what you, Ewan ewants.

[@socialistazania5132]

@@TexasGI47life ?

[@SeedRamples]

@@socialistazania5132 Hi there! We're you ever able to learn what the flag meant? I am curious if it was ever solved.

[@Marco-lx7nc]

Last time I was this early, Canada was using the Red Ensign.

[@koalbehy9760]

Even though, nowadays we no longer say places with, “the,” in front of them, “the Ukraine,” “The Sudan,” “The Vietnam,” etc., The Gambia is the actually name of the Country. It is one of two Nations that has the Definite Article in front of it, the other being The Bahamas. But The Gambia has the definite article to help avoid confusion with Zambia.

[@doffy35]

thank you so much JJ your videos put a smile on my face

[@doffy35]

thank you some much

[@djwillcaine]

The RNLI flag was instantly recognisable to me, as a Brit. We see it all the time at coastal locations.

[@cormacmacsuibhne2867]

I am Irish and live on an Island off the coast of Ireland and we have a lifeboat station which works for the RNLI. My family are good friends with many of the members who work at the station. They are a key part of our island life. We went to a funeral a while ago for a seventeen year old who he and his father worked at the station. When I saw the flag I knew it straight away and I laughed a little because of how much JJ and that other Canadian person didn't know.

[@ihavesmolppbut7591]

Last time I was this early people didn’t make “last time I was this early” comments.

[@theirishempire4952]

Too late

[@jakubpociecha8819]

Well,that was pretty smart

[@theratwhoplaysdanganronpa9028]

Best channel on the planet. Best part of Saturdays when you post.

[@JJMcCullough]

E.G. Santiago you are too kind my friend

[@DanTheDragon162]

@@JJMcCullough where and how do I send you a flag mystery I need to get solved??

[@AllanLimosin]

10:45 On the top corner left in written Freedom or death in French 12:02 National Union of Total Independence for the Angola in Portuguese

[@gonk534]

Angola is rightfully Portuguese.

[@GazilionPT]

Actually, "National Union *for* *the* Total Independence of Angola". And it was not a Marxist movement, by the contrary. It was a anti-Marxist movement funded by the US and Apartheid-era South Africa to oppose MPLA (supported by the USSR).

[@AllanLimosin]

@@GazilionPT My bad, I wanted to put for the instead of it because I had of in my head

[@SoooooWhatt]

@@GazilionPT It was actually Maoist (aided by China) until the late 1970s, then anti-communist. Nevertheless, after the late 1970s, it was supported by the USA and South Africa (when the former was in a Cold War, and the latter was racist) in UNITA's fight against the MPLA (backed by the USSR and Cuba). Commies against commies, am I right?: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNITA

[@edgelord8337]

Flagspert Make that a real word. It's so good why not just turn it into a real word. Also stay safe and keep getting better at being a *flagspert*

[@theletter4349]

Vexillologist.

[@evabugiugi]

The letter 4 boring, flagspert is where it’s at

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

Flagspert - he spurteth flags

[@adrianj7015]

Awesome video JJ! Really enjoyed the breakdown of the revolutionary flower art pieces. I think you’ve sparked a certain interest in flags in me

[@houstonburnside8985]

I like this guy. Very diverse and entertaining videos.

[@jordanh3665]

Hey JJ, just wanna point out as someone who has lived in the Yukon my entire life, I've never heard of any 'movement' (for lack of a better term) to drop 'the' from 'the Yukon'. Great vid as always!

[@fendranm2914]

11:27 - Nah, that's a Portuguese-style Yoshi.

[@elijahp9779]

Wow this is a really cool video, the premace is really interesting and you end up learning about flags all over the world! Nice vid, and I hope to see more of this :D

[@FloridaMan4205]

That last flag might have something to due with Botswana, since the Zebra is its national animal.

[@moraga7370]

My favourite type of JJ video!

[@harry-yw6gh]

I think the skull and crossbones may actually be the symbol of the Skeleton Army, who were a semi-revolutionary group in 1800's England who fought the Salvation Army's anti-drink marches

[@kattatonic1]

Good work, Sheldon! Love the histories that go with the flags.

[@lvodniza]

Omg no one has posted about the unsolved flag. What if it’s a family or tribe flag?

[@laurens7704]

nahh its already solved www.uihere.com/free-cliparts/flag-mawlid-dawat-e-islami-symbol-islami-1973870

[@danishzuhairi338]

it's the "Dawat-e-Islami" flag. Dawat-e-Islami is based in Pakistan images.app.goo.gl/ycpUHWR9R9edcsyCA

[@sovietmarshmallow1283]

It was solved within the first hour of this video being up.

[@PiousMoltar]

As a Brit I instantly knew the first flag. Fun fact: I recently found out that the Republic of Ireland are also served by the RNLI. There's a program on British TV about the RNLI, following them on some of their rescue missions around the country. And in Ireland, as it turns out.

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

"...noted flagspert, and today I am going to be spurting more flags at you" 😅😅😅 love ya J.J.

[@y.m.or.4053]

1:17 what's hilarious is as you were describing customs, this was the EXACT airport I was thinking of, lo and behold you mention it.

[@kittykat559]

Canadian life boat institution has its own flag, really similar to the RNIL. It is a white field with St. Georges cross, with an anchor topped with the crown. In the top left quadrant is the Canadian maple leaf. Fun!

[@Ghost_of_Michael_Collins]

For anyone who doesn’t know, the symbol censored on the Yippies flag is a Cannabis leaf

[@birdmeat7924]

I once remember seeing this flag in an old friend house and I can't seem to find it anywhere. The flag itself had the colors blue, yellow, and red stacked together, like the flags of Chad and Romania. And then there was a black emblem put in the middle of the flag. I'm pretty sure this was a flag relating to buddhism because the friends' parents were buddhists themselves so it's probably the flag of some buddhist group. If you could help find this flag for me that would be much appreciated.

[@smitajadhav690]

Was the black emblem a wheel shaped like this☸? Because many Buddhist flags have the colours red blue and yellow (along with white and orange) and also contain this wheel (aka Dharmachakra).

[@CanadianKingCoins]

Always love these videos! My top source for all things Flagspert

[@williamnye2501]

Hey J.J, a flag expert is a vexillologist. Love your videos!

[@JJMcCullough]

Lennon Tyner The technical term is flagspert

[@williamnye2501]

J.J. McCullough oh my bad sorry 😂

[@und3dpix959]

I discovered your channel thanks to Knowing Better and now I am binge-watching all I can :) And I see my home country flag - Norway! Skål!

[@Harry-xg2yc]

I think the pirate flag was actually nthe flag of the rebels of the kronstadt rebellion. The rebellion was during the Russian Civil War and was an anarchist uprising against the Reds.

[@thomas7247]

I love the editing of your videos, the noises and visuals are very nice

[@momoqin9296]

“Eastern Europe” *ANGERY CENTRAL EUROPEAN NOICES*

[@jaffa3717]

Strange seeing the RNLI flag on here. They fly in literally every British coastal town. I see them all the time

[@bardo7874]

Hey J.J, I liked the video! By the way, I was wondering can I upload a video to my channel that's similar to this? The difference is that it's me and my friend solving the mysteries of some flags he drew many years ago.

[@oddoperator3524]

Go for it

[@MonetizedHistory]

Fun, thanks for making these videos, I really enjoy them!

[@ShampootheSpider2019]

The pirate flag was called “jolly Rogers which was used when during during golden age.

[@Arandomczechguy]

12:26 thats actually flag of tigray, a region in ethiopia, i belive that it had for revolution in ethiopia given its theming

[@francesatty7022]

"Oh that's the RNLI flag, I see it all the time at beaches and- WHY IS IT IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO??"

[@matheusnobre5880]

This series is awesome, I love it

[@NoEntertainment]

I love how loud and outgoing he is in this one, maybe it's just me thinking he's like that? I dunno.

[@rebeccaturner1123]

Hold up, YOU ARE WATCHING THIS TOO? And I thought I was the only logo fan that was here.

[@peanutbutterpancakes61]

hi

[@loomingkettle7833]

12:26 that looks more like the flag of the Tigray region of Ethiopia, I think it could be that instead

[@henryhaxby9283]

Knew exactly what that second flag was 😂. Very well known in the UK

[@TexasGI47life]

Thank you for sharing some of the websites you used to do research on your Flag Mysteries.

[@cowboymooman8776]

Great video Mc.Cullough! i love your views on Justin Trudeau, Flagiology and Canadianatic Politics!

[@tagtag66]

Stroke imminent

[@cowboymooman8776]

@@tagtag66 What are you describanatoring about? i am in perfectoulous health! my garrmar is impecceble!

[@egw999]

Thanks!

[@numericable33]

How about this for your next flagspert video: The U.K's flag, almost every time you used one in your videos (including this one) it was not drawn properly.

[@nhprman]

Another excellent flag video, JJ! Hugely interesting!

[@TimFitzGeraldca]

“Sperting some flags” is the new “speaking moistly” (Cuts to Justin Trudeau cringing) “What a terrible image”

[@stupidpterodactyls]

as a British person, I am very familiar with the RNLI

[@larrygardner8293]

I was expecting something naughty for the Yippie flag. Let's just say googling it leads to severe disappointment.

[@KingNoob7]

I was expecting like a blood head or something but i was also disappointed

[@Emiliano199810]

@@KingNoob7 I was expecting a swastika of some sort

[@patrickklocek3332]

UNITA in Angola was actually the Western-backed army in Angola led by Jonas Savimbi -- an occasional guest at the White House of Ronald Reagan. They were not Marxist and the flag has no Marxist iconography. Love your videos!

[@jgr7487]

but The Gambia is literally the name of the country, "The" included

[@dmitrikrosikio2684]

JJ, you should do research into the various military flags from the late colonial/revolution period of america. Some really interesting unit flags, government flags, etc.

[@LordEdmund1973]

Last time I was this early, JJ still had his hair cut

[@cernunnos5727]

You know sometimes I really appreciate you and your videos and sometimes not at all. Fortunately this is one of the videos I like from you 😋

[@josephlucatorto4772]

The Gambia and The Bahamas are still countries ok to use the word "the" in the name

[@reynatoalpuerto5544]

Don't forget The Philippines, officially The Republic of The Philippines that's with the "The" after the "Philippines" officially.

[@josephlucatorto4772]

Good point

[@randomstuff2.076]

I love the videos, keep up the good work

[@Ubercentraltf2]

10:08 The symbol is a marijuana leaf

[@tomney4460]

Why ships register in Liberia is this: Ship companies are required to pay above the minimum wage of the nation the ship is registered in. Since Libera has a low minimum wage, companies register there.

[@Ennio444]

Isn't the black and red flag simply the Anarcho-Syndicalist flag? A common flag of resistance to governments all over the world.

[@Damo2690]

Yeah... vic 2

[@ciaraninphilly]

As a “Maroon” (AB’84,MBA’88), I’m very happy to learn that an exhibit at the University of Chicago provided you with a kernel of inspiration for this very informative video. (But did they have no signage to explain the designs? Surely that would have been helpful for non- “flagspert” visitors.)

[@cullenmitchell9165]

Funnily enough, you actually do call it “The Gambia.” I know, it’s weird.

[@QuantumOfSilence]

Great video, JJ! When's that fish-with-sunglasses shirt coming? ;)

[@ravenlord4]

When (and why) did "the" become offensive for countries? I've never seen an American triggered over hearing "The U.S." or "The United States". In fact it sounds down right freakish (or foreign) to NOT say "the". Like "Ya! Tomorrow I go to US on holiday" just sounds like broken English. You need that definite article, mate :)

[@xavierguy773]

My guess would be it really only applies to Ukraine, who previously under soviet rule was referred to as The Ukraine. Since gaining independence dropping the article gain signify independence of foreign control from modern day Russia with whom things are extremely tense to say the least. So long story short, technically using “the” is incorrect for referring to the countries name but, recent political history for the region would most likely be why they take offense. Meanwhile it is correct grammatically to say The United States. Hope this helps a bit!

[@ravenlord4]

@@xavierguy773 Seems ironic, as there are no definite or indefinite articles in the Russian language anyway. I guess they can call themselves anything they want, but they probably shouldn't get too upset what other countries call them in the other country's language.

[@noteb.ookluvr]

12:26 I know I'm REALLY late, but that's actually the flag of Tigray. (An Ethiopian subdivision fighting for independence)

[@mate_salamanca]

woah wait, why is it condescending to say "the ____" to a country? at least in spanish most people say "la china" or "la india" (literally the china or the india) refering to those countries and its like normal to say that.

[@skaftonmd8916]

I look forward to these videos every week!