
Last modified: 2020-08-02 by ian macdonald
Keywords: rio grande do sul | nova santa rita | 
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 image by Ivan Sache, 1 August 
2020
 image by Ivan Sache, 1 August 
2020
The municipality of Nova Santa Rita (22,450 inhabitants in 2017; 21,787 ha) 
is located 20 km north of Porto Alegre.
Nova Santa Rita was established 
around a chapel erected on plot offered on 11 February 1884 by Justino Batista 
and his wife, Rita Carolina Martins. The chapel was dedicated to St. Rita of 
Cascia.
Elevated in the early 20th century as the 6th district of São 
Sebastião do Caí, Nova Santa Rita was transferred on 28 June 1939 to the newly 
established municipality of Canoas, as its 2nd district, with seat at Berto 
Cirio.
After a failed attempt in 1987, the municipal emancipation was 
accepted by 64% of the voters in a plebiscite organized on 10 November 1991. The 
municipality of Nova Santa Rita was established by State Law No. 9,585 
promulgated on 20 March 1992.
https://novasantarita.atende.net/
Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 
1 August 2020
The flag and arms of Nova Santa Rita are prescribed by 
Municipal Law No. 18 promulgated on 29 June 1993.
Article 3.
A shield 
in Portuguese style, inherited by Brazilian heraldry, featuring dexter a sun or 
on a sky azure, hills vert, separated from the shield's center by a river azure; 
in the center, an image of St. Rita, patron of the municipality, argent and 
sable, sinister an European bovine argent, melons vert and or, the helmet of 
Mercury (a god of Greek mythology) and a cogwheel sable, superimposed with three 
industrial chimneys and cement packs argent. The shield supported by two rice 
plants vert and or tied by a scroll gules inscribed with the toponym "NOVA SANTA 
RITA - 20.03.1992". The shield surmounted by a crown argent and gules.
Article 4.
Detailed description.
The shape of the coat of arms of the 
municipality of Nova Santa Rita is based on Portuguese heraldry, the origin of 
Brazilian heraldry, with a symbolism artistically elaborated with a mystic and 
allegoric rigor in shapes and dimensions prescribed by usual heraldry. The 
colors obey the following technical and codification: Or (gold) is a symbol of 
force and wealth; azure (blue), of beauty; argent (silver), of history and 
nobleness; gules (red) represents honor and justice; sable (black), prudence; 
and vert, natural environment.
The coat of arms features dexter a sun or on a 
sky azure, hills vert, representing novelty, rebirth, life, and the region's 
topography; the fess wavy blue represents the rivers watering the municipal 
territory. The image of St. Rita represents religious feeling and a tribute to 
the town's patron saint and namesake. Sinister, the bovine represents expanding 
cattle-breeding; the melons represent agriculture, Nova Santa Rita being the 
state's first producer of melons. The cement packs are a reference to industry; 
the cogwheel surmounted by Mercury's helmet, is a universal symbol of Industry 
and Commerce.
The green outlines are a symbol of natural environment, crops 
and agriculture in clear development.
The rice plants used as supporters are 
basic products of the municipality's fields in clear development. The scroll 
gules represents protection. The three-towered mural crown represents the three 
powers, Executive, Legislative and Judiciary, and a town of third rank, seat of 
a municipality.
Article 5.
The flag shall use the main colors of the 
municipal flag in the following dimensions:
[...]
[No description of the 
flag's design is given]
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/rs/n/nova-santa-rita/lei-ordinaria/1993/2/18/lei-ordinaria-n-18-1993-institui-o-brasao-de-armas-e-a-bandeira-do-municipio-de-nova-santa-rita 
Leis Municipais database
Not an easy guess, the flag is diagonally 
divided blue-white-red by a broad white diagonal stripe running from the upper 
hoist to the lower fly.
Photos
https://www.facebook.com/prefeituradenovasantarita/photos/a.347437872039812/2550494555067455/?type=3&theater 
https://www.diariodecanoas.com.br/2017/09/noticias/regiao/2168618-milhares-de-pessoas-acompanham-o-desfile-civico-em-nova-santa-rita.html 
https://www.correiodopovo.com.br/not%C3%ADcias/cidades/nova-santa-rita-terá-novo-centro-administrativo-1.344435 
https://revistanews.com.br/2019/04/25/prefeitura-de-nova-santa-rita-reajusta-salario-do-funcionalismo-municipal/ 
https://www.facebook.com/prefeituradenovasantarita/photos/a.347437872039812/2443734245743487/?type=3&theater 
Melon cultivation covers 85 ha in Nova Santa Rita, yielding every year 1,700 
tons of fruit, that is, 20 t/ha. The most cultivated variety is Gaúcho melon, 
planted in June to August and harvested in November and December. Cantaloupe 
melon is also grown, with a later plantation (December and January) and a much 
shorter development cycle, which allows harvesting 60 to 65 days after planting.
Most melon production is family-managed by 45 farmers; melons are sold to Porto 
Alegre central market (Central de Abastecimento de Porto Alegre - CESAS- and to 
supermarket networks.
http://www.asbraer.org.br/index.php/rede-de-noticias/item/1824-safra-de-melao-de-nova-santa-rita-apresenta-valorizacao
ASBRAER 
Ivan Sache, 1 August 2020