Dominica's Coat of Arms

Dominica’s Coat of Arms is formally described as follows:

“Quarterly Or and Azure a cross filled 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 a base a Carib canoe with sail set all likewise proper in the forth 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 imperialis) proper beaked and membered or together with the motto Apres Bondie C’est La Ter.”

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Apres Bondie C’est La Ter 
is creole for “after God the earth” which shows the significance of soil and agriculture in Dominica. The shield is divided into 4 parts and shows:

  1. volcanic soil and a coconut tree,
  2. the crapaud – (now an endangered species, read more about the island’s ‘mountain chicken’,
  3. a kalinago canoe with sails,
  4. and a banana tree with mature fruit

 

External Links

Government of Dominica