The coat of arms of Fiji is the

heraldic device A heraldic badge, emblem, impresa, device, or personal device worn as a badge indicates allegiance to, or the property of, an individual, family or corporate body. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance. They are ...

consisting of a shield divided quarterly by

Cross of St. George The Cross of Saint George (russian: Георгиевский крест, Georgiyevskiy krest) is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was initially established by Imperial Russia where it was officially known as the Decoration of ...

and charged with a gold lion at the top, supported by two Fijian warriors, one on each side, and topped with a

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the ter ...

as the crest. Adopted in 1908 by a Royal Warrant, it has been the coat of arms of Fiji since that year, having been retained after independence in 1970. The escutcheon from the arms is featured on the

flag of Fiji The national flag of Fiji ( Fijian: ''kuila ni Viti'') was adopted on 10 October 1970. The state arms have been slightly modified but the flag has remained the same as during Fiji's colonial period. It is a defaced cyan "Blue Ensign" (the act ...

History

The Kingdom of Fiji became a crown colony of the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...

on 10 October 1874. About 34 years later, the islands were accorded with their own coat of arms through a royal warrant issued on 4 July 1908. Although its design was "intended to be British", the arms did incorporate symbols of Fiji – it was eventually used on the flag of the territory. When it was granted independence on 10 October 1970, Fiji decided to retain its coat of arms from the colonial era. ' This was partly because of its links to Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the first and last King of Fiji ( fj, Tui Viti) who relinquished control of the country to Britain. However, the coat of arms featured on the flag was modified, which involved removing the crest, supporters, and motto, thus leaving only the escutcheon untouched. This was done in order to enlarge the shield and make it more prominent. This has led to calls from several Fijian chiefs for the restoration of the full, official coat of arms to the national flag.

Design

Symbolism

The colors and objects on the coat of arms carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The

—which divides the shield quarterly—and the golden lion at the top represent the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, the former colonial power that ruled over Fiji. The cacao pod held in the lion's paw, along with the sugarcane,

coconut palm The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or t ...

and bananas occupying three of the four quadrants, represent the country's natural resources, since these are key agricultural crops in Fiji. The bottom left quadrant contains a

dove Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

that symbolizes peace – this was utilized on the country's flag during the reign of King Cakobau, whose government was the last before the commencement of British rule. The crest at the top depicts a ''takia''—a traditional Fijian canoe—while the supporters grasping the shield on both sides are Fijian warriors. According to legend, they are twins; the older brother is clutching a

spear A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fasten ...

, while the younger one holds a totokia

club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a '' Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...

. At the bottom is the country's

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...

: Fear God and honour the King ( fj, Rerevaka na kalou ka doka na Tui).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coat Of Arms Of Fiji National coats of arms, Fiji National symbols of Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji Fiji

History

Design

Symbolism

See also

References