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.”

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

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