Coat of arms of Burundi

Coat of arms of Burundi
Details
Armiger	Republic of Burundi
Adopted	1966
Escutcheon	Gules, a lion's head Or with markings sable affronty; a bordure Or
Supporters	Three African spears proper, one in pale and two in saltire
Motto	Unité, Travail, Progrès (French: "Unity, Work, Progress")

The coat of arms of Burundi, adopted in 1966, consists of a shield surrounded by three spears. On the shield is the motto of the nation, as well as the head of a lion. Behind the shield there are three crossed traditional African spears. Under the shield the national motto of Burundi appears on a scroll: Unité, Travail, Progrès (French, "Unity, Work, Progress").^[1]

History

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Burundi (1962-1966)

The previous coat of arms of the Kingdom of Burundi, used from 1962 until 1966, looked very similar, except that the royal karyenda drum was surmounted on the top as a symbol of the mwami (king), surrounded by two laurels. The number of spears was four. The national motto was Ganza Sabwa, which is in Kirundi and roughly means "(the mwami) rules and reigns".^[2]

References

1. Guide to the Flags of the World by Mauro Talocci, revised and updated by Whitney Smith (ISBN 0-688-01141-1), p. 153.
2. Unlocking Horns: Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Burundi, p. 16, at Google Books