The coat of arms of Senegal 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 charged with a lion on the left half and a baobab tree on the right, flanked by palm branches and topped with a five-pointed green star at the top. Adopted five years after Senegal gained independence, it has been the coat of arms of the Republic of

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

since 1965. Both symbols on the shield had featured previously on earlier Senegalese emblems.

History

gained independence on 20 August 1960, when it separated from the

Mali Federation The Mali Federation ( ar, اتحاد مالي) was a federation in West Africa linking the French colonies of Senegal and the Sudanese Republic (or French Sudan) for two months in 1960. It was founded on 4 April 1959 as a territory with self-ru ...

and became an independent country on its own. It took approximately five years to before Senegal adopted its own coat of arms. It was designed by Suzanne Gauthier, a French

heraldist Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...

from Paris, in 1965. It incorporated the lion and the baobab tree - both symbols were previously utilised on earlier Senegalese emblems.

Design

Symbolism

The colours and objects on the coat of arms carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The green star at the crest is identical to the one on Senegal's flag. It alludes to Islam, the religion practiced by 94% of Senegal's population. It is also possible that it might have derived from the Serer religious symbol " Yoonir" which has been used as a religious and cultural symbol by the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania long before Islam penetrated the Senegambia region, and long before it became an Islamic symbol - with roots to the Ottoman Empire flag. For more on the five-pointed star's Serer religious connection, see the

Serer creation myth The Serer creation myth is the traditional creation myth of the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania. Many Serers who adhere to the tenets of the Serer religion believe these narratives to be sacred. Some aspects of Serer religious a ...

and Yoonir. President

Léopold Sédar Senghor Léopold Sédar Senghor (; ; 9 October 1906 – 20 December 2001) was a Senegalese poet, politician and cultural theorist who was the first president of Senegal (1960–80). Ideologically an African socialist, he was the major theoretician o ...

, under whose administration this coat was drawn was not a Muslim but a Roman Catholic. He was also a Serer and a strong advocate for Serer religion and culture - even in his works. The dexter (i.e. proper right) of the escutcheon features a lion. A national symbol of Senegal, it stands for strength and represents the northern Senegalese ethnic group, which forms the majority of the population. Historically it was a symbol of power for kings, before the French colonised Senegal. On the arms' sinister, a baobab tree is depicted, which is native to Senegal. Located just beneath it is a green wavy line that epitomises the Senegal River. The order underneath the escutcheon is that of the

National Order of the Lion ("One People, One Goal, One Faith") , eligibility = , criteria = , status = Active , founder = , head_title = Grand Master , head = Macky Sall , head2_title = Grand Chancellor , head2 ...

. Both the lion and the baobab tree, which featured previously on earlier Senegalese emblems, are now utilised on the country's two seals. The seal with the baobab tree is used to stamp any acts relating to

public administration Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit est ...

, while the lion seal is used exclusively by the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

for significant acts of state, such as international agreements.

Similarities

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 ...

—"One People, One Goal, One Faith" ()—is exactly the same as

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...

's.

References

{{Portal bar, Senegal, Heraldry National symbols of Senegal

History

Design

Symbolism

Similarities

See also

References