Heraldry of the World

The largest heraldry site on the net, with presently coats of arms on-line !

You are here : Home > Oceania > Guam

 

GUAM




The National Flag ( from www.fotw.net)

The National Arms

The shape of the arms is that of a Chamorro sling stone used as a weapon for warfare and hunting. The sling stone was quarried from basalt and coral.
The Coconut Tree, growing in unfertile sand, symbolises self-sustenance and determination to grow and survive under any circumstance, with its fronds open to the sky -- defies the elements to bend its will. Its bent trunk attests to a people which have been tested by famine, natural calamities, genocide and foreign wars but have continued to endure as a race.
The Flying Proa, a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people, which was fast and agile in the water required great skill to build and sail. The Spanish marvelled at the grace and speed of the proa which typifies the courage and freedom of the ancient Chamorroes to fearlessly navigate and trade with islands thousands of miles from Guam.
The River channel, where fresh water rush out to interact with the ocean, symbolises a willingness to share the resources of the land with others. The permanence of the land mass of Hila'an in the background demonstrates the Chamorro's commitment to their homeland and environment, be it sea or land. Also in the background, "Two Lover's Point" juts majestically into the endless waters of the sea, protraying the people's faithful commitment to passing their proud heritage, culture, and language to the endless sea of future generations.
GUAM or GUAHAN means "we have" is the home ("Tano Y Chamorro") of the Mannamoros or Chamorro people.
The red stripe represents the blood shed by its people during World War II and Spanish occupation. A field of blue represents Guam's unity with the sea and sky.

Literature :Data taken from here.



Home © Ralf Hartemink 1996, ->

See also my other sites Food-Info.net and Food Dictionary



Disclaimer:
This site is private and non-commercial. All sources are mentioned when known. If you own copyrights to the information provided and are not mentioned, please contact the webmaster.

The information (texts or pictures) of this site may be used for private purposes but only after permission of the webmaster and with credit/link to this site. Be aware that for many non-commercial purposes permission of the (municipal) council to which the arms belong is needed ! When not sure, contact the council.
Use of the images in Wikipedia is allowed with reference to this site and/or the original source as mentioned on the site. Use template {{ngw}} for Dutch images and {{ngw2}} for non-Dutch images and always add original source. It is not allowed to use texts of this site on Wikipedia without permission !

For commercial purposes permission of the council as well as the webmaster of this site is always needed. The webmaster of this site is not responsible for commercial use of the material provided.
Disclaimer last changed on April 29, 2008 (addition Wikipedia templates), previous change January 2007 (addition Wikipedia text), previous change 2001.