The coat of arms of
Dominica was adopted on July 21, 1961. It consists of a shield with two guardian
sisserou parrot
The imperial amazon (''Amazona imperialis'') or Dominican amazon, also known as the sisserou, is a parrot found only on the Caribbean island of Dominica. It has been designated as the national bird of Dominica. The species is critically endangere ...
s bracing the shield atop of which is a lion passant. The quarters of the shield depict a canoe, a banana tree, a palm and a frog of the native species known as the
mountain chicken. Below the shield is the national motto: Apres Bondie C'est La Ter (After God the Earth).
Official description
The government of Dominica gives two official descriptions of the coat of arms:
Coat of arms - Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica
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Heraldic description (
blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vi ...
)
''Quarterly Or and Azure a cross fillet counterchanged in the first quarter on a Rocky Mount Sable a Coconut Tree fructed proper in the second a Dominica Crapaud also proper in the third on Water Barry wavy in base a Carib canoe with sail set all likewise proper in the fourth quarter on a Rocky Mount also sable a Banana Tree fructed also proper and for the crest. On a Wreath Argent and Azure a Rocky Mount Sable thereon a Lion Passant guardant Or and for the Supporters. On either side of Sisserou Parrot (Amazona imperials) proper beaked and membered or together with this motto APRES BONDIE C’EST LA TER.''
Non-heraldic description
''The Coat of Arms of Dominica bears the inscription ‘ Apres Bondie C’est La Ter’, (after God the Earth), which emphasizes the importance of the soil in the island with its economy based on agriculture.''
''The design depicts a shield divided into four quarters of a cross, referring to the Island’s name, because of its discovery on a Sunday. In first quarter on the top left, you see the black volcanic soil of Dominica supporting a coconut tree, and in the fourth quarter on bottom right a fully developed banana stem bearing a mature bunch of fruits is shown. Our Crapaud, the second quarter, while in the third quarter, a canoe under sail glides on the Caribbean Sea. A wreath of silver and blue bears the crest, a golden lion standing upon a black rocky mount with the Sisserou parrot (Amazona imperialis) as supporters.''
References
{{Heraldry-stub
National symbols of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica
Dominica
Dominica
Dominica
Dominica