South African Coat of Arms Poster

South Africa’s Coat of Arms

The design and symbolism of The human figures – are derived whose legs – depicted as the spear and the new Coat of Arms from images on the Linton Stone, a knobkierie – serve it well in its hunt world-famous example of South African for snakes, symbolising protection of The Coat of Arms is a series of elements rock art, now housed and displayed the nation against its enemies. It is a organised in distinct symmetric egg-like in the South African Museum in Cape messenger of the heavens and conducts or oval shapes placed on top of one Town. The Khoisan, the oldest known its grace upon the Earth. In this sense, it another. inhabitants of our land, testify to our is a symbol of divine majesty. Its uplifted common humanity and heritage as South wings are an emblem of the ascendance The motto – !ke e: /xarra //ke, written Africans. The figures are depicted in an of our nation, whilet simultaneously in the Khoisan language of the /Xam attitude of greeting, symbolising unity. offering us its protection. people, literally meaning: diverse people This also represents the beginning of unite. It addresses each individual effort the individual’s transformation into the The rising sun – an emblem of to harness the unity between thought greater sense of belonging to the nation brightness and splendour. It symbolises and action. On a collective scale, it calls and by extension, collective humanity. the promise of rebirth; the active faculties for the nation to unite in a common of reflection, knowledge, good judgement sense of belonging and national pride The spear and knobkierie – dual and willpower. It is the symbol of the – Unity, in Diversity. symbols of defence and authority – also source of life, of light and the ultimate represent the powerful legs of the wholeness of humanity. Elephant tusks – symbolise wisdom, secretary bird. The spear and knobkierie strength, moderation and eternity. are lying down, symbolising peace. The completed structure of the Coat of Arms combines the lower and higher The ears of wheat – in the oval The protea – an emblem of the oval shape in a symbol of infinity. The shape formed by the tusks – symbolise beauty of our land and the flowering of path that connects the lower edge of fertility, growth and the development of our potential as a nation in pursuit of the scroll, through the lines of the tusks, potential, the nourishment of people and the African Renaissance – symbolises the with the horizon above from which the the agricultural aspects of the Earth. holistic integration of forces that grow sun rises, forms the shape of the cosmic from the Earth, nurtured from above. egg within which the secretary bird rises. The shield – the shape of the gold In the symbolic sense this is the implied shield is drum-like. It has a dual function: The secretary bird – characterised rebirth of the spirit of our great and the display of identity and of spiritual in flight – the natural consequence of heroic nation. defence. growth and speed. It is a powerful bird