Officials in Trinidad and Tobago are redesigning the island’s coat of arms for the first time since gaining independence in 1962, aiming to remove symbols associated with European colonization.
The three ships of Christopher Columbus—Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria—will be replaced by a steelpan, a popular percussion instrument that originated on the Eastern Caribbean island.
Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced that the redesign will be completed by the end of September.
“This should signal that we are on the path to removing the colonial traces present in our constitution,” Rowley stated.
The current coat of arms also features hummingbirds, a palm tree, and the scarlet ibis, the national bird of Trinidad.
Columbus arrived in Trinidad and Tobago in 1498.
Photo: The Associated Press