SYMBOLS OF NATIONHOOD

Guyana gained its independence May 26, 1966 from Britain, and is now a sovereign state that has also attained republican status. It is now free to make its own decisions concerning its welfare and its citizens.
Throughout the early part of 1966, preparations for Guyana’s independence celebrations were already being done excitedly. A special committee appointed by the government designed the new Coat-of-Arms and selected the Canje Pheasant as the national bird. The design and colours of the new flag had already been chosen during the period of the PPP government from entries submitted through an international competition.
Being an independent country, certain changes were brought about: the name British Guiana was changed to ‘Guyana’ (chosen since 1962 by a select committee appointed by the House of Assembly); the Union Jack (British flag) was lowered and the Golden Arrowhead, Guyana’s flag was hoisted for the first time; Guyana had its first Prime Minister, Linden Forbes Burnham and its first Guyanese Governor General, Sir David Rose; Guyanese no longer sang the British national anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’ but proudly sang Guyana’s own national anthem, ‘Dear Land of Guyana’; our national symbols came into use for the first time; the British Guiana Volunteer Force became the Guyana Defence Force and at the last parade of the volunteer force held at Eve Leary on Independence Day, Sir Richard Luyt, the Governor General at that time, took the salute.
Guyana’s symbols of nationhood represent the fact that it is a nation which has attained independence. The symbols are: the National Flag (the Golden Arrowhead), the National Coat-of-Arms, the National Pledge, the National Motto and the Arms of the President. Except for the last symbol, all the others came into use on Independence Day, May 26, 1966. Each symbol holds a special significance.
The Golden Arrowhead has five colours each having its own meaning. The green background symbolises Guyana’s vast agricultural and forested areas. The gold which forms a golden arrowhead symbolises the country’s mineral wealth and its forward thrust. The red triangle symbolises the zeal and dynamic task of nation building which lies before our nation. The white bordering the flag symbolises Guyana’s many rivers and water potential. The black bordering the red triangle symbolises the strength and endurance of the Guyanese people which will sustain the golden arrow’s forward thrust into the future.
Director of the Flag Centre in Florida, USA, Dr. Whitney Smith designed the Golden Arrowhead. The design was submitted to Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the Premier of British Guiana in 1960, six years before Guyana gained its independence. Dr. Smith said in a 2011 interview with Encyclopedia Britannica: “Among the flags in my collection that I treasure are the national flag of Guyana, of which I am the designer…”
Each part of the National Coat-of-Arms also has its own significance. Sections of designs submitted by Alvin Bowman, L.R. Borrowes and Stanley Greaves were incorporated into the final design of the Coat-of-Arms. Bowman was given the commission for producing the final design according to the requirements set out by a committee.
The Coat-of-Arms was selected on the recommendation of the National History and Arts Council and approved by the College of Arms in England. The House of Assembly accepted it on February 25, 1966.
The Amerindian headdress on the Coat-of-Arms symbolises that the Amerindians are the indigenous people of the country that is the first ones to live here. The helmet, a monarchial emblem, tells that Guyana was once a monarchy country ruled by a king or queen. The two diamonds at the side of the Amerindian headdress represent the country’s mineral wealth. The jaguar holding the pick-axe represents labour. The other jaguar holding the stalk of rice and sugarcane symbolises our two main agricultural crops- sugar and rice. The shield signifies protection for the nation. The three blue wavy lines on the shield represent the country’s many rivers. The Victoria Regia Lily on the shield is our National Flower. Robert Schomburgk, a German botanist, discovered it in 1837. The Canje Pheasant or Hoatzin at the bottom of the shield is our National Bird. It is a rare bird which is found principally in this part of the world. It is seen often on the Abary, Mahaica and Mahaicony rivers and especially in the Canje river area and on the banks of the Berbice river. At the bottom of the Coat-of-Arms are the words of our National Motto: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”
A nationwide competition, sponsored by the National History and Arts Council, also helped to select the words of the new National Anthem. A generous sum of Gy$500, a significant amount in those days, was given to Reverend A.L. Luker, an Englishman living in Guyana and winner of the selected lyrics for the anthem. R.C.G. Potter, a prominent Guyanese musician and educator, set the poem to music and earned himself a cash prize of Gy$500. The Cyril Potter College of Education is named after him.
These symbols are imperative because they signify that we are an independent nation and show the solidarity we share as a unified country. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)