Coat of arms of New Caledonia
The coat of arms of New Caledonia , a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean belonging to France , is not a coat of arms in the heraldic sense , but only a national emblem.
description
The symbol is a frameless compilation of objects that have been worshiped in the region based on tradition. All objects are executed in black. The most striking is the shell of a nautilus . A narrow endemic conifer ( Araucaria columnaris ) rises up from two waves behind this bowl. The symbol on the heraldic right represents a spear, the tip of which is adorned with shells according to the tradition of the Melanesian people ( Kanak ) and is generally considered to be the main component of the emblem.
symbolism
The nautilus is found in the waters of New Caledonia. The lower waves represent the sea. The pine is also called Cook's pine, but is an araucaria .
The spear is usually found on the roofs of the Kanak houses. It can be seen as a kind of totem ( flèche faîtière ). It is depicted as an emblem on the independence flag, but can also be found on the official flags of the Northern Province and the Loyalty Islands .
status
The New Caledonia Congress is entitled to elect the flag and coat of arms for New Caledonia through Article 5 of the constitutional law (loi organique) No. 99-209 of March 19, 1999, but has not yet done so.
See also
Individual evidence
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↑ Loi organique n o 99-209 du 19 mars 1999 relative à la Nouvelle-Calédonie . Retrieved April 25, 2017 (French).
Quote: La Nouvelle-Calédonie détermine librement les signes identitaires permettant de marquer sa personnalité aux côtés de l'emblème national et des signes de la République.