National Symbols

Our National Flag

    The National Flag of Guyana, The Golden Arrowhead has five colours - Green, Gold, Red, Black and White. The principal colours are Green Gold and Red.

    The flag has the unique design of two triangles (one within the other) issuing from the same base.
The outer triangle is gold-coloured (arrow shaped) with a narrow border of white along two sides. The triangle is red with a narrow strip of black, bordering the two sides.
    The background of the flag is green, representing the agricultural and forested nature of Guyana. The white border represents the rivers and water potential. The Golden arrow represents the Guyana's mineral wealth, and the black border represents the endurance that will sustain the forward trust of Guyanese people.
    The red of the flag represents the zeal and dynamic nature of the nation building that lies before the young and independent Guyana.


Our Coat of Arms

The design for the Guyana's Coat of arms are as follows;
    The Amerindian head-dress symbolizes the Amerindians as the indigenous people of the country. The two diamonds at the side of the head-dress represents the country's mining industry. The helmet is the monarchical insignia. The two jaguars holding pick-axes, a sugar cane and a stalk of rice symbolize labour and the two main agricultural industries of the country- sugar cane and rice. The shield which is decorated with the national flower, the Victoria Regia Lily, is to protect the nation. The tree blue wavy lines represent the many waters of Guyana. The Canje Pheasant at the bottom of the shield represents a rare bird found principally in this part of the world.

The Coat of Arms was selected on the recommendation of the National History and Arts Council and approved by the College of Arms, England. It was accepted by the House of Assembly on Friday, 25th February, 1966.


Our National Flower

The Victoria Regia Lily

    The Victoria Regia, a water lily, was discovered by Robert Schomburgh, a German Botanist, in 1837, while leading an expedition into the interior of what was then British Guiana.
    In its native habitat of tropical America, the plant is perennial. It grows in 4 to 6 feet of water, the base of the stems being situated in soft mud. From each plant there are seldom more than four or five leaves. The largest flower can measure between 25 cm to 30 cm in diameter. When first open, they are white with a sweet smell rather like a ripe fruit; by the second day they are fully expanded and a deeper pink; by the third day, they start to wither.


Our National Bird

The Canje Pheasant and Hoatzin

    The adult Hoatzin is about 55 cm long from bill to tail. The feathers on its back are redish-brown streaked with green while those on its underside are pale brown. Those at the root of the neck and on the wings are edged with a creamy-white colour. On the Canje Pheasant's head is a crest of long feathers which give it a majestic look. A ring of pale blue skin surrounding its crimson eyes while a short beak adds the finishing touches to its unique appearance.

    In Guyana the Canje Pheasant can be found along the banks of the Berbice River and its tributary - The Canje Creek, and to some extent, on along the Abary, Mahaicony and Mahaica Rivers. The Hoatzin feeds on leaves and aquatic vegetation and its usual nesting season is between April and September.


The National Anthem

words:
 


Dear Land Of Guyana, of rivers and plains
Made rich by the sunshine, and lush by the rains,
Set gem-like and fair between mountains and seas
Your children salute you, dead land of the free.

Green land of Guyana, our heroes of yore
Both bondsmen and free, laid their bones on your shore;
The soil so they hallowed, and from them are we,
All sons of one mother, Guyana the free.

Great land of Guyana, diverse tough our strains,
We are born of their sacrifices, heirs of their pains,
And ours is the glory their eyes did not see
One land of six people, united and free.

Dear land of Guyana, to you will we give
Our homage, our service, each day that we live;
God guard you great Mother, and make us to be
More worthy our heritage - land of the free


 



The National Pledge

    I pledge my self to honour always The Flag of Guyana, and to be loyal to my country, to be obedient to the laws of Guyana, to love my fellow citizens, and to dedicate my energies towards the happiness and prosperity of Guyana.
 

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