Napier

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NAPIER

Region: Hawke's Bay

Official blazon

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Origin/meaning

The arms were granted in August 1951.

The three roses in the Chief of the shield are taken from the coat of arms of Lord Napier and Ettrick, a direct descendent of Sir Charles Napier, after whom Napier was named. The wavy blue bands on the shield are charged with a fleece, the accepted heraldic symbol of the wool industry, of which Napier is one of the largest centres In New Zealand.

The crest depicts the inverted wing and claw of a hawk, taken from the arms of Lord Hawke, a former First Lord of the Admiralty after which the province of Hawke's Bay was named. In the claw of the hawk is a Maori wahaiki or bone club, representative of the Maori race of the district.

The supporters are a golden kiwi and lion representing Napier's dependence on New Zealand and England, whilst the motto Faith and Courage was chosen to reflect the courage and faith present during and after the 1931 earthquake.