Symbolism

Gamm’s attire, reminiscent of the late 19th century, symbolized the state of antiquity Forgotonia was in as a result of the state and federal governments. Image from Western Illinois University Archives, “Neal Gamm Collection.”
The Forgotonia national flower was the Forget-me-not, its name providing ample explanation for the decision. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Not only was the Forgotonian flag the white flag of surrender, but it was also not quite the size the of a standard state or country flag. Rather than being 4×5 feet, it was just short, symbolizing how Forgotonia got the short end of everything. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The Forgotonia state song spoke to the issues of the area, as it brought up the poor roads, the Forgotonians willingness to pay taxes without payoff for such enthusiasm, and the way in which the region was generally antiquated and downtrodden. Image from Western Illinois University Archives, “Neal Gamm Collection.”
The albatross was selected as the Forgotonian bird. Funnily, despite every other piece of Forgotonian iconography representing very specific concepts, Gamm went on record after the Forgotonia movement was over saying the albatross had no symbolic meaning whatsoever. Rather, in good humor, during Forgotonia’s height of attention he said the below excerpt from Taylor Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” in a speech to try to get people to find meaning in the choice where there was none.
“‘God save thee, ancient Mariner!/ From the fiends, that plague thee thus!–/ Why look’st thou so?’–/
With my cross bow/ I shot the Albatross…/ Ah! well a-day! shat evil looks/ Had I from old and young!/ Instead of the cross, the Albatross/ About my neck was hung.” Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The passenger pigeon, as Gamm described in a speech in Forgotonia’s capital, Fandon, “was a bird whose welfare, like the welfare of the Forgotonians, was so ruthlessly neglected by State and Federal Governments that they were slaughtered by the millions until by 1914 the species was exctinct.” Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Gamm also publicized his consideration of the dodo as the state bird, which he said shared a notable commonality with Forgotonians: the lack of adequate transportation methods. Its, “absurdly tiny wings,” as he called them in a speech, were a perfect parallel to the lack of major highways and poor roads. This, however, was rejected simply because he did not want the people of Forgotonia to be referred to as “dodos” by those elsewhere. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.