England’s King Charles I, granted Newfoundland a coat of arms to a private company on January 1, 1637. It was officially reintroduced after it was rediscovered in 1928.

The arms features two lions, two unicorns, and an elk. The lion is a common symbol of England, while unicorns are symbolic of Scotland.

The elk was probably meant to be a caribou, as elk aren’t native to Newfoundland. Or perhaps it was meant to be a moose, another animal that isn’t native to Newfoundland! (Moose were later introduced into Newfoundland.)

The shield on Newfoundland’s arms is supported by two aboriginals. The original inhabitants of easternmost Canada were Beothuk Indians. They resided chiefly along the coast, where they lived largely on fish and shellfish.

Beothuks sometimes painted themselves red. This may be how Indians came to be known as redskins.

French settlers and Micmac Indians from Nova Scotia killed many Beothuks. They were also hit hard by a series of famines. The last known Beothuk died in 1829.

The Beothuks are recalled in Canis lupus beothucus, the scientific name of the Newfoundland white wolf. It was the first subspecies of wolf in North America to become extinct; the last one was shot in 1911.

The Latin motto on Newfoundland’s coat of arms translates Seek ye first the kingdom of God, as taken from the New Testament, Matthew 7:23.

Newfoundland Flag Newfoundland’s provincial flag was designed by Newfoundland artist Christopher Pratt, was adopted on Mary 28, 1990 and was first flown on Discovery Day, June 24, 1980. The color blue symbolizes the sea, white snow and ice, red human effort, and gold Newfoundlanders’ confidence in themselves. The similarity of the blue triangle to Britain’s flag (the Union Jack) is symbolic of Newfoundland’s Commonwealth heritage. Red triangles represent the province’s island and mainland portions. The gold arrow points toward optimism for a bright future. When hung as a banner, the arrow resembles a sword, a reminder of the great sacrifice made by Newfoundland’s war veterans. The white center incorporates the Christian cross, Beothuk and Naskapi ornamentation, and an outline of the Canadian maple leaf. The trident is symbolic of Newfoundland’s connection to the sea and fishing.

The Native Flag Annual wood hauls for the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals were once conducted while sealers were in St. Johns town in the spring. There was considerable rivalry between the Protestant English (Anglicans) and the Catholic Irish. The Protestants marked their wood piles with the pink flag of the Native’s Society, while Irish Catholics used green banners. To lessen the threat of violence, Bishop Michael Fleming persuaded the sealers to adopt a common flag that utilized both colors in the 1840s. A white stripe taken from Scotland’s banner separated green and pink, symbolizing peace. Sometimes known as the Native Flag, this popular design was widely flown in Newfoundland for much of the 19th century and well into the 20th century.

Labrador Flag Newfoundland is an island, but the province includes a region on the mainland called Labrador. Labrador is sometimes represented by a flag with a spruce twig. The flag’s colors are white, green and blue, representing snow, the land and Labrador’s waters. The spruce twig was chosen because it’s common in all regions of Labrador. The three branches represent Labrador’s three peoples: the Innuit, the Innu and the European settlers. The twig grows from one stalk, representing the common origin of all humanity. The shorter inner twig represents the past, while the larger outer twig represents a brighter future.

Francophone Flag Newfoundland’s French-speaking peoples adopted still another flag on October 5, 1986. Sails represent early explorers and fishermen who crossed the Atlantic to Newfoundland. The Labrador spruce twig appears in the topsail. The large sail bears a stylized pitcher plant, Newfoundland’s official flower. The color yellow on the flag also represents the fleurs de lis, or lily, a common symbol of France. Fleurs de lis are usually white, but were yellow on early French flags and arms.