Coat of arms of Fiji
| Coat of arms of Fiji | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Details | |
| Armiger | Republic of Fiji |
| Adopted | 4 July 1908 |
| Crest | a Fijian Canoe with outrigger in full sail proper |
| Torse | Of the colours |
| Escutcheon | Argent, a Cross Gules, between in the first quarter three Sugar canes couped, in the second, a Coconut palm also couped, in the third a Dove volant holding in the beak a branch of Olive, and in the fourth a bunch of Banana fruits slipped, all proper, on a chief Gules, a Lion passant guardant, holding between the forepaws a Cocoa pod proper. |
| Supporters | Dexter, a Fijian native affronty, round his waist a Tupu Sulu, holding in the exterior hand a barbed spear all proper, sinister a like native in profile holding in the exterior hand a pineapple club in bend sinister |
| Motto |
Rerevaka na Kalou ka doka na Tui "Fear God and honour the Queen" |
The coat of arms of Fiji is the heraldic device consisting of a shield divided quarterly by Cross of St. George and charged with a gold lion at the top, supported by two Fijian warriors, one on each side, and topped with a canoe 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 Kingdom of Fiji became a crown colony of the British Empire 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 (Fijian: 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.
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