The Coat of Arms of Guyana

The Coat of Arms of Guyana

The Coat of Arms of Guyana design incorporates a shield at the centre adorned with three blue wavy lines, featuring the Victoria regia lily above and the Canje Pheasant below.

On the left side of the shield, a jaguar holds a pickaxe, while on the right, another jaguar holds a sugar cane.

Above the shield sits an Amerindian headdress atop a helmet, and below, a banner proudly declares the national motto: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”

The College of Arms bestowed the coat of arms upon the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on February 25, 1966.

Symbolism

The symbolism of the coat of arms of Guyana is as follows:

• The Amerindian head-dress, the Cacique Crown, symbolises the Amerindians as the indigenous people of the country.
• The two diamonds at the sides of the headdress represent the country’s mining industry.
• The helmet, on which the Cacique Crown rests, is the monarchical insignia.
• The two jaguars are rampant, holding a pick-axe, a sugar cane, and a stalk of rice, symbolising labour and the two main agricultural industries of the country, sugar and rice.
• The shield, which is decorated with the national flower, the Victoria Regia Lily, is to protect the nation.
• The three blue wavy barrulets represent the three great rivers and many waters of Guyana.
• The Canje Pheasant at the bottom of the shield is a rare bird found principally in this part of the world and represents the rich fauna of Guyana.

The House of the Assembly

The Coat of Arms was chosen based on recommendations from the National History and Arts Council and subsequently approved by the College of Arms in England. The Coat of Arms was accepted by the House of the Assembly on Friday, February 25th, 1966.