National Symbols

THE NATIONAL FLAG of Jamaica was introduced on August 6,1962, Jamaica's Independence Day. It was designed by a bipartisan committee of the Jamaica House of representatives.  It has a diagonal cross or saltire with four triangles in juxtaposition. The diagonal cross is gold and one-sixth of the length of the fly of the flag; the top and bottom triangles are in green; and the hoist and fly triangles are in black.  Each Color has a meaning. Black stands for hardships overcome and to be faced; Gold, for natural wealth and beauty of sunlight; and Green stands for hope and agricultural resources. In essence it means, "Hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shineth"

 THE COAT OF ARMS was given to Jamaica in 1661, and was designed by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, William Sanderoft. It was partial revision in 1957, but remains virtually the same as was originally designed. The Coat of Arms shows a male and female Arawak, standing on either side of the shield which bears a red cross along with five golden pineapples superimposed on it. The Crest is a Jamaican crocodile surmounting the Royal Helmet and Mantlings. "Out of many one people" is the motto and was originally in Latin "Indus Uterque Serviet Uni".

                                                                                                         

                                                                                                

                 

                                                                                                             

 THE LIGNUM VITAE tree grows best in the dry woodlands especially along the North and South coasts of Jamaica. It sheds an attractive blue flower, however the plant itself is extremely ornamental. The wood is widely used to manufacture propeller shaft bearings for ships, and also used in the creation of curios, sought after by visitors and Jamaicans alike.     

 

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THE "DOCTOR BIRD" (Trochilus 
 polytmus) lives only in Jamaica and is one of the most outstanding of all the species of Humming Birds. The feathers of the Doctor Bird are beautifully iridescent, a characteristic peculiar to this family.

              




                                                 


                                                            

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 ACKEE is the Jamaican National 
 Fruit. Ackee (Blighia sapida). Although it is not indigenous to Jamaica, this fruit has remarkable historic associations. Ackee was originally imported from West Africa and was brought to Jamaica in slave ships. The trees now grows luxuriously producing each year large quantities of edible fruit.

Jamaica is the only country where Ackee is generally recognized as an edible fruit, although the plant has been introduced to most of the other islands of the Caribbean.    

 

THE NATIONAL TREE "BLUE MAHOE"(Hibiscus elatus), has been regarded as one of the main economic timbers. It is currently much used for re-afforestation and is a valuable source for cabinet makers to use. It has an attractive blue-green colour with variegated yellowish intrusions, and is capable of showing the variety of grain and colour tones.