East Timor: National Emblem

Last modified: 2024-11-30 by zachary harden
Keywords: honra, pátria e povo |
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• National emblem
• Previous national emblem (2002-2007)

• East Timor

National emblem

The official name of the coat of arms is belak.

The coat of arms shows in its center the East Timor's highest mountain Tatamailau (Foho Ramelau) as quadrangular pyramide, three angles down, one up, the borders as bows. The background is white, the mountain “ruby red”, in the center black, between black and red a thin gold-yellow line.

On the top of the mountain is a white five pointed star, one point shows in one line to the top of the pyramid, but doesn't touch it. Five white pyramidal beams are coming out of the star and ending above an open book below the star.

The book is ruby red, the borders are golden-yellow, a golden-yellow belt is bellow the book. On the left page are five black lines, four on the right page. Behind the book is a golden-yellow cogwheel on a golden-yellow base. Right of cogwheel and book is a rice spike (hare fulin) with two leaves and eleven corns, left a corn cob with two leaves. Both are golden-yellow and turned with the top down.

Below the cogwheel is an automatic gun, type Kalaschnikow AK-47 Galaxi, butt to the left, barrel to the right. The barrel is a little bit higher than the butt, but doesn't touch the cogwheel. Crossway behind the gun is an golden-yellow Timorese spear (?) (called diman). The Spearhead shows to the left. Bellow the gun is a golden-yellow Timorese bow (called rama-inan). Its chord shows to the top.

Below the mountain is a banner (white with "light red" border) with ruby red letters: "Unidade, Acção, Progresso" (unity, action/movement, progress). The banner follows the borders of the mountain in waves.

Mountain and banner are surrounded by two thin parallel "dark red" circles. Between the circles is written (ruby red letters on white background) the official country name in Portuguese "República Democrática de Timor-Leste". The inscription starts at the height of the lower left corner of the mountain and ends at the height of the lower right corner. On the lower part of the circle is the abbreviation of the country name "RDTL".

The emblem symbolize the earth ball with the country Timor-Leste and the national unity. White symbolizes peace, yellow symbolizes richness, black symbolizes the darkening, which has to be defeated, red symbolizes the love to home and the fight for national liberation.

The five points of the star are symbolize the light of munificence and of honesty, which bring the people to peace. The beams symbolize the light of solidarity and the will to bring peace to the whole world.

The four angles of the mountain symbolize the policy of separation of powers (FOUR???) and the independence of government bodies (?parliament, government, national court, president?)

Book, cogwheel, rice spike and corn cob symbolize wisdom and ability of the people to develop on the domain of education, culture, social justice, agriculture and industry.

Gun, spear and bow symbolize the values of the centuries of resistance of the people for the national liberation and the self defence for honor and grandeur of the countries highness of Timor-Leste.

Unity, action/movement, progress are the core values of the politics and ethics, which are ruling the life of nation and country.

J. Patrick Fischer, 06 May 2007, transl. and comm. from law 02/2007

Since 18th January 2007, Timor-Leste has a new emblem: The official announcement was in "JORNAL da REPUBLICA", 18. January 2007, Series I, No.1, page 1664.
J. Patrick Fischer, 20 April 2007

And here is at last the official document, the Law 2/2007 National Symbols, text in Portuguese. The Law includes drawings (unfortunately b/w) of the flag and the emblem.
Antonio Gutiérrez, 20 Aprl 2007

I’m betting that the presidential flag will be a plain red cloth with this emblem centered on it. (Or perhaps the national flag with this emblem replacing the star?)
António Martins, 11 September 2007

The central emblem is the well known C.N.R.T. shield and the motto is also based on Falintil’s.
António Martins, 11 September 2002

Behind the shield there is a yellow sun with 14 rays. All surrounded by a light blue circle with the black text "REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE" and between two white stars "RDTL". Under the circle is a red banner with the black words "HONRA, PÁTRIA E POVO".
J. Patrick Fischer, 13 August 2002