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Trinidad and Tobago - Coat of Arms

image located by Zachary Harden, 21 January 2025
Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo

Coat of Arms
Previous version of Arms

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Coat of Arms

It was officially announced that Trinidad and Tobago officials were about to change the coat of arms, in order to remove references to European colonization.

Christopher Columbus’ three ships — the Pinta, the Niña and the Santa María — will be replaced with the steelpan, a popular percussion instrument that originated in the eastern Caribbean island.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/trinidad-redrawing-coat-arms-remove-columbus-famous-ships-112981350
Zoltan Horvath, 21 August 2024

The coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago was officially redesigned, with the main change of the steelpan instrument replacing the three ships of Christopher Columbus. The artwork of the arms, along with relevant change information, is listed at https://www.facebook.com/ttgovcommunications The bill can be found at https://www.ttparliament.org/publication/the-national-emblems-of-trinidad-and-tobago-regulation-amendment-bill-2025
Zachary Harden, 21 January 2025

Some comments from https://newsday.co.tt/2025/01/14/national-emblems-bill-passed/:

A design for the new coat of arms has been chosen – it depicts a golden tenor pan and two sticks. The final version was chosen from among several submissions by artist Gillian Bishop. On January 13, Parliament approved the National Emblems of Trinidad and Tobago (Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to give legal effect for the change.

Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore said the type of pan used on the coat of arms is a tenor pan with two pan sticks. Ramsey-Moore hailed the decision as a monumental moment in TT's history. "The inclusion of the steelpan on the national coat of arms is a defining moment for our nation. It symbolises the resilience, ingenuity and unity of our people. Born from struggle, the steelpan has become a beacon of TT's cultural legacy and innovation. This is a moment for every citizen to stand tall and proud."

Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell said the old coat of arms can be used until January 1, 2026, once the act is assented to and proclaimed by the President. The transitional period will be until January 1, 2026, which meant there would be no great or disruptive urgency to change the old coat of arms.

Mitchell said the bill amends Part I of the schedule to the National Emblems of TT (Regulation) Act. "This clause amends the description of the coat of arms of TT by deleting the reference in the base of the arms to 'three ships of the period of Christopher Columbus also gold the sails set proper' and substituting that the base of the coat of arms will now contain 'a gold steelpan and its iconic two pan sticks, also gold.'"

Previous version of Arms

image by Zoltan Horvath, 27 November 2024

'Dorling-Kindersley Pocket Book' says the coat of arms represents the three ships of Colombus who landed in Trinidad in 1498. The top of the shield depicts two hummingbirds. The supporters are two local birds, a scarlet ibis and a cocrico, respectively. The shield stands on waves breaking against the rocky coasts of the islands.
Ivan Sache, 11 January 2001

From www.gov.tt:
"The Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago was designed by a committee formed in 1962 to prepare the country for independence. The Coat of Arms was selected and formally agreed to be used as the Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago in 1962. The Birds represented on the Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago are the Scarlet Ibis, the Cocrico (native to Tobago) and the Hummingbird. The three ships represent the Trinity and the three ships of Columbus. The three Peaks were principal motifs of Trinidad's early British Colonial Seals and Flag-Badges. They commemorated both Columbus' decision to name Trinidad after the Blessed Trinity and the three Peaks of the Southern mountain range, called the 'Three Sisters" on the horizon. The fruited Coconut Palm dates back to the great seals of British Colonial Tobago in the days when the Island was a separate administrative unit. Motto - Together we aspire, Together we achieve" -speaks for itself and promotes harmony and diversity for national achievement."
Erki Kurikoff, 13 February 2002