# Colombia's coat of arms looks like Nintendo animation. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 3, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755 "2006-12-03T23:56:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/1 "2006-12-03T23:56:08Z")
[Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_arms_of_Colombia.jpg) I’m not an artist, and don’t know how better to describe the style. The fruit and coins in the top panel look like items you would collect in a Mario game. Not particularly regal in my book. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/2 "2006-12-03T23:58:58Z")
Is that a vulture? How patriotic! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/3 "2006-12-04T00:16:18Z")
[QUOTE=raz] Is that a vulture? How patriotic! [/QUOTE] Yes it is, but a very large one. It’s a rather badly drawn Andean Condor. I particularly like the emphasis in the lowermost section on Panama, which is no longer part of Colombia. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/4 "2006-12-04T00:51:19Z")
[Here’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_coats_of_arms) a link to all the coats of arms of the world. I’m sure there’s a couple other ones we could make fun of: [Bosnia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bosnia_and_Herzegovina_Coats_of_Arms.svg): Turning your flag into a shield does not equal a coat of arms. [Guinea-Bissau:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_Guinea-Bissau.png) Why the red? Did the communist party take over and no one told me? [Kiribati:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kiribati_coa.png) See Bosnia. And putting a slogan underneath doesn’t make it a coat of arms, either. [Lebanon:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lebanon_coa.png) See Bosnia, Kiribati. [Mongolia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Suld.gif): If Colombia’s was animated on a NES, then this blocky horse must have been animated on an Atari 2600. [Switzerland:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_Arms_of_Switzerland.svg) See Bosnia, Kiribati, Lebanon. [Turkey:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:T%C3%BCrkiye_armas%C4%B1.svg) See Bosnia, Lebanon, Switzerland, and especially Kiribati (replace “underneath” with “on top”). ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/5 "2006-12-04T02:10:31Z")
Oman’s has a penis. A _massive_ one too. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/6 "2006-12-04T02:22:20Z")
I like the vulture. I’ve named him Harold. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/7 "2006-12-04T03:07:19Z")
According to the posters at [Flags of the World](http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/co).html), what you are seeing is a version fo the Colombian Arms as done recently by the Presidency’s publicists’ graphic artists, supposed to be a freshening of the rendering (the actual blazon remains unchanged). I say the attempt failed. This looks like a bad web cartoon indeed. Call me stodgy, but one would feel that objects and devices in a proper Coat of Arms should be either realistic, or stylized in an idealized or heraldic traditional)manner, not _caricatured_. That Condor does not awe me at all. I hope this is not a harbinger of a trend of nations redoing their their national symbols in Flash graphics and entrusting the whole composition to the first CG geek on staff instead of bringing in a competent artist/heraldrist(?)/vexillologist. [QUOTE=mobo85] Turning your flag into a shield does not equal a coat of arms. And putting a slogan underneath doesn’t make it a coat of arms, either. Turkey: See Bosnia, Lebanon, Switzerland, and especially Kiribati [/QUOTE] Ah, but you can have certain colors and devices be your Arms in the first place… and _then_ use what is called a _Banner of Arms_ as a national flag, which is basically the colors and devices in the escutcheon, arranged in flag-shape. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/8 "2006-12-04T03:28:30Z")
[QUOTE=JRDelirious] According to the posters at [Flags of the World](http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/co).html), what you are seeing is a version fo the Colombian Arms as done recently by the Presidency’s publicists’ graphic artists, supposed to be a freshening of the rendering (the actual blazon remains unchanged). [/QUOTE] I was curious as to whether or not this was the official illustration of the Colombian coat of arms, as it is the one that appears on the official website of the President of Colombia. > [@percypercy](#): > > I like the vulture. I’ve named him Harold. While we’re talking about _good_ things on coats of arms, I think the slogan on [Botswana’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Botswana_coa.png) is really neat. “Pula.” It’s just fun to say. It means rain, apparently. I can imagine a stereotypical African tribesman shouting “PULA!,” presumably while encountering British explorers or rain. I think the country should change its name to Pula- although that might make tourists think it rains all the time. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/9 "2006-12-04T03:31:10Z")
[QUOTE=percypercy] I like the vulture. I’ve named him Harold. [/QUOTE] I’ve named him Pierre, because he appears to be wearing a red beret. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/10 "2006-12-04T03:42:57Z")
Nicaragua apparently has the last piece of the [Triforce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_arms_of_Nicaragua.svg), with a little heart in the middle. [Yemen’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_Arm_of_Yemen.jpg) looks like something you’d see on a flight attendant on Aeroflot. Glorious Nation of [Kazakhstan](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_arms_of_Kazakhstan_%28flat%29.svg) is home to the Southern Oracle. Come to North Korea! We’ve got [electricity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_Arms_of_North_Korea.png)! Those poor Albanian [eagles](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Albania_state_emblem.svg) have to share one hat (?) or UFO (?) or something. [Iran’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_arms_of_Iran.svg) and [Ukraine’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_arms_of_Ukraine.svg) are two I can really get behind – they look like they sprang from the mind of a TV sci-fi production designer Germany’s is so… [German](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_Arms_of_Germany.svg). I would like to add, offhand: The flags of [Ecuador](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Ecuador.svg) / [Colombia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Colombia.svg) / [Venezuela](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Venezuela_%28state%29.svg) and of [El Salvador](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_El_Salvador.svg) / [Nicaragua](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Nicaragua.svg) / [Honduras](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Honduras.svg) were clearly designed to give fits to legions of geography students. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/11 "2006-12-04T04:11:28Z")
[QUOTE=Bambi Hassenpfeffer] Come to North Korea! We’ve got [electricity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_Arms_of_North_Korea.png)! [/QUOTE] Sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/12 "2006-12-04T04:11:28Z")
[QUOTE=Bambi Hassenpfeffer] The flags of [Ecuador](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Ecuador.svg) / [Colombia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Colombia.svg) / [Venezuela](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Venezuela_%28state%29.svg) and of [El Salvador](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_El_Salvador.svg) / [Nicaragua](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Nicaragua.svg) / [Honduras](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Honduras.svg) were clearly designed to give fits to legions of geography students. [/QUOTE] The first trio is based on the personal standard of Simon Bolivar, who fought for the independence of those three countries, and the second trio is based on the flag of the United States of Central America, of which all three countries were part. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/13 "2006-12-04T05:44:24Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] The first trio is based on the personal standard of Simon Bolivar, who fought for the independence of those three countries, and the second trio is based on the flag of the United States of Central America, of which all three countries were part. [/QUOTE] I knew there had to be a reason. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/14 "2006-12-04T05:53:36Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] I’ve named him Pierre, because he appears to be wearing a red beret. [/QUOTE] I see. You’re right. And a lovely beret it is too. Pierre he shall be then. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/15 "2006-12-04T05:58:42Z")
Australia prides itself on being one of the few countries (perhaps the only one?) that eats all the animals on its coat of arms. Both emu and kangaroo can be found on the menu in some Australian restaurants. Personally, i’d like to see Applebee’s or TGI Friday’s offer char broiled eagle. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/16 "2006-12-04T06:01:28Z")
Want to reiterate, it’s quite legitimate to have the arms the same as the flag; in fact, in times past armigers were expected to fly a banner of their arms. A banner of the royal arms of the UK is used as The Queen’s personal standard, and the same in Canada (with the addition of The Queen’s personal cipher). Also, four of Canada’s provinces use banners of their arms as flags; the effect is suitably impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/17 "2006-12-04T06:04:30Z")
[Suriname](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_arms_of_Suriname.png)’s looks like it should be emblazoned at the threshold of a gay nightclub. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/18 "2006-12-04T06:42:56Z")
I started a club when I was in the third grade and, I swear to God, the Coat of Arms I made up for my club was exactly like the one for the Republic of Chad. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/19 "2006-12-04T07:10:16Z")
Ooh! [Jamaica](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Jamaica_coat_medium.gif) has boobies! ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755/20 "2006-12-04T08:36:15Z")
[QUOTE=MEBuckner] Ooh! [Jamaica](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Jamaica_coat_medium.gif) has boobies! [/QUOTE] Not to mention pineapples and a rather cheerful crocodile - that so rocks! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colombias-coat-of-arms-looks-like-nintendo-animation/382755.md?page=2)