Tag Archives: arms

The Coat of Arms of Guyana

29 Nov

The Coat of Arms of Guyana

The Coat of Arms of Guyana

Guyana’s coat of arms was accepted on 25 February 1966 by the Parliament, after Queen Elizabeth II introduced it on 21 January of the same year.

It includes a crest of an Amerindian head-dress symbolizing the indigenous people of the country; two diamonds at the sides of the head-dress representing mining industry; a helmet (monarchial insignia); two jaguars as supporters holding a pick axe, sugar cane, and a stalk of rice (symbolizing Guyana’s sugar and rice industries); a shield decorated with the Victoria regia lily, Guyana’s national flower; three blue wavy lines representing the three main rivers of Guyana; and the national bird, the Canje Pheasant. The state motto appears on the scroll below the shield.

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of Guatemala

28 Nov

The Coat of Arms of Guatemala

The Coat of Arms of Guatemala

The Coat of Arms of Guatemala comprises:
A wreath of olive branches, the symbol for victory;
The Resplendent Quetzal, a bird that symbolizes liberty;
A scroll on which is written LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (15 September 1821 is the date of Central America’s independence from Spain);
Crossed rifles indicating Guatemala’s willingness to defend itself by force if need be;
Crossed swords, representing honour.

The coat of arms also appears on the Flag of Guatemala. The current flag design dates to 1871. The quetzal previously appeared in the flag of Los Altos, Central America in the 1830s.

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of Costa Rica

25 Nov

The Coat of Arms of Costa Rica

The Coat of Arms of Costa Rica

The official coat of arms of the Republic of Costa Rica was designed in 1848, with modifications in 1906, 1964, and most recently the 1998 addition of smoke to distinguish three volcanoes (“Se dibujaron los volcanes humeantes para diferenciarlos.”)

The Coat of Arms of Costa Rica depicts an essential simplification of the nation. The two ships on either side represent the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, both of which border Costa Rica. The ships also represent the maritime history of the country. The three mountains represent the three major mountain ranges of Costa Rica, and also stand to show the location of the country relative to the two bodies of sea. The current coat of arms has seven stars on it to stand for the seven provinces of Costa Rica. The above arms are older, and have five stars that represent the nations that had made up the United States of Central America in the early 19th century; the Costa Rican design is modified after the old Central American Federal coat of arms. The name of the nation is on a white banner at the top of the shield, above this is another blue scroll that says “Central America”.

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of Belize

24 Nov

The Coat of Arms of Belize

The Coat of Arms of Belize

The Coat of Arms of Belize was adopted upon independence, and is only slightly different from the coat of arms used when Belize was a British colony.

The circular border of the coat is formed by twenty five leaves. Within this circle is a mahogany tree, in front of which is a shield. Within the shield are the tools of a woodcutter in the upper quadrants and a ship in the lower one. These are symbolic of the importance of mahogany and its usage in the construction of boats.

The shield is supported by two wood-cutters of different races. The one on the left is
holding an axe, while the one on the right is holding an oar. Again the importance of the mahogany and its importance to boat building are represented. At the bottom is the national motto on a scroll.

The coat of arms features predominantly on the national flag.

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The National Anthem of Sint Maarten

23 Nov

The National Anthem of Sint Maarten

O Sweet Saint Martin’s Land is the bi-national song of Saint Martin/Sint-Maarten island, in the Caribbean, this island being divided between France and Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This full original version was written by the French side Catholic Father Gerard Kemps in 1958.

Where over the world, say where,
You find an island there,
So lovely small with nations free
With people French and Dutch
Though talking English much,
As thee Saint Martin in the sea?

Chorus :
O sweet Saint Martin’s Land
So bright by beach and strand
With sailors on the sea and harbors free
Where the chains of mountains green
Variously in sunlight sheen

O I love thy Paradise,
Nature-beauty fairly nice (twice)

How pretty between all green
Flamboyants beaming gleam
Of flowers red by sunlight set
Thy cows and sheep and goats
In meadows or on roads
Thy donkeys keen can’t I forget

Thy useful birds in white
Their morn and evening flight
Like aircrafts-wings in unity
Their coming down for food
Then turning back to roost
Bring home to me their harmony

Saint Martin I love thy name
In which Columbus fame
And memories of old are those
For me a great delight
Thy Southern Cross the night
May God the Lord protect thy coast!

French version (Original)

Trouvez-moi une perle si chère,
comme l’île Saint-Martin en mer,
chaîne de mornes et vallées;
riche de plages bien dorées
qui donnent la paix, donnent le repos
dans ses mornes et toutes ses eaux.

Choeur (refrain):
Saint-Martin, Saint-Martin,
Si jolie en tous ses coins. (bis)

Quel charme ses flamboyants,
leur fleurs un enchantement,
tout un bouquet de flammes vives.
Quand le soleil ici arrive,
donnant splendeur, montrant beauté,
Quel éclat de tous cotés.

Sa cime “le Pic Paradis”,
ravit les touristes ici,
d’où sa verdure fait merveille;
un panorama sans pareil,
voyant les plaines, voyant la mer,
colorées en bleu et vert.

Le vol de ses pélicans,
gracieux et si élégants
quand ils plannent haut en l’air,
quand ils plongent dans la mer;
Dites-moi l’endroit, où on les voit,
lorsqu’ils fondent sur leur proies

Son nom toujours Saint-Martin
rest’ra dans l’histoire sans fin,
Christophe Colomb l’a découverte,
lui a donné son nom si cher,
Dieu protecteur, Dieu de bonté,
garde-la bien en prospérité!

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of El Salvador

23 Nov

The Coat of Arms of El Salvador

The coat of arms of El Salvador has been in use in its current form since 15 September 1912. Its center consists of a triangle, in which five volcanoes rise out of the sea. They symbolize the five member states of the United Provinces of Central America. Above the volcanoes is a red Phrygian cap on a staff before a golden sun and the date 15 September 1821, Independence Day of El Salvador. Over it is a rainbow which means peace. Behind the coat of arms there are five flags representing the flags of the Federal Republic of Central America raised. Under it, there is a scroll which states the national motto of El Salvador: Dios, Unión, Libertad (Span., “God, Union, Liberty”). All of this is surrounded by a laurel garland, which is tied together under the national flag. The garland is divided into 14 different parts, which symbolize the 14 Departaments, the Salvadoran subnational administrative units. All this is surrounded by golden letters, which form the Spanish words REPÚBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMÉRICA CENTRAL (English: Republic of El Salvador in Central America).

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of Ecuador

23 Nov

The Coat of Arms of Ecuador

The Coat of Arms of Ecuador

The coat of arms of Ecuador (Spanish: Escudo de armas del Ecuador) in its current form was established in 1900 based on an older version of 1845.

In the background of the oval shield is the mount Chimborazo, while the river originating from its base represents the Guayas. They both symbolize the beauty and wealth of the respective regions (Sierra or Costa). The ship on the river is named Guayas as well. In 1841 it was built in Guayaquil and was the first seaworthy steamship built on the South American west coast. Instead of a mast it features a Caduceus representing trade and economy. On top a golden sun surrounded by the astrological signs for Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer representing the months March to July to symbolize the duration of the March Revolution of 1845.

The condor on top of thea shield stretches his wings to symbolize power, greatness and strength of Ecuador. The shield is flanked by four flags of Ecuador. The laurel on the left represents the victories of the republic. The palm leaf on the right side is a symbol of the martyrs of the fight for independence and liberty. The Fasces below the shield represents the republican dignity.

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of Brazil

23 Nov

The Coat of Arms of Brazil

The Coat of Arms of Brazil

The coat of arms of Brazil was created on November 19, 1889, four days after Brazil became a republic.

The coat of arms consists of the central emblem surrounded by coffee (at the left) and tobacco (at the right) branches, which were important crops in Brazil at that time.

In the blue circle in the center, the Southern Cross (Portuguese: Cruzeiro do Sul) can be seen. The ring of 27 stars around it represents Brazil’s 26 states and the Federal District.

The blue ribbon contains the official name of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil — Federative Republic of Brazil) in its first line. In the second line, the date of the federative republic’s establishment (November 15, 1889) is written.

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of Aruba

23 Nov

Coat of Arms of Aruba

The Coat of Arms of Aruba

The Coat of Arms of Aruba was originally designed in Amsterdam in 1955. Since then it has been in use as the national symbol of Aruba. There are seven main elements to the symbol:
The lion at the top of the crest symbolizes power. A white cross on the crest that also serves to divide the crest into four quadrants is representative of devotion to faith. Below the crest is a pair of laurel leaves, traditional symbols of peace.

The upper right quadrant of the crest depicts Hooiberg, the most recognizable hill of Aruba, and the second highest hill as well. Below it, in the lower right quadrant a wheel represents industry. In the upper left quadrant is an aloe plant, aloe being a source of income for the island, and its first important export. Finally, the lower left quadrant depicts hands shaking, symbolic of Aruba’s good relations with the world.

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

The Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago

21 Nov

The Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago

The Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago

The coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago was designed by a committee formed in 1962 to select the symbols that would be representative of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. The committee included noted artist Carlisle Chang and the late designer George Bailey. The palm tree at the top of the coat of arms was taken from Tobago’s coat of arms before it was joined in political union with Trinidad. The wreath represents the crown of the monarchy of the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago’s colonizers at the time of independence. The shield has the same colours (black, red and white) as the nation’s flag and carries the same meaning. The gold ships represent the Santa María, La Niña, and La Pinta: the three ships Christopher Columbus used on his journey to the “New World”. The two birds on the shield are hummingbirds. Trinidad is sometimes referred to as the “Land of the Hummingbird” because more than sixteen different species of hummingbird have been recorded on the island. “Land of the Hummingbird” is also believed to have been the Native American name for Trinidad. The two larger birds are the Scarlet Ibis (left) and the Cocrico (right), the national birds of Trinidad and Tobago. Below the Scarlet Ibis are three hills, representing the Trinity Hills in southern Trinidad, which, it is believed, convinced Columbus to name the island after the Holy Trinity. The island rising out of the waters beneath the Cocrico represents Tobago. Below these birds is the nation’s motto: “Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve.”

Information maintained by Caribbeanflags.com

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