The Taylor Fiji Coat of Arms was designed by Graham Taylor specifically for the 2014 Reunion.
The design explained…
1. ARMS/Protector of the Shield
A. LOCHABER AXE
The Scottish Taylors are affiliated with Clan Cameron as a sept, and are descended from Donald “Taillear dubh na tuaighe” which means “black tailor of the (Lochaber) axe” in Gaelic. Donald lived at the time of Mary Queen of Scots, and was the son of Ewen Cameron, 14th Chief of Clan Cameron, from the daughter of the Chief of Clan MacDougall- but out of wedlock. Donald was brought up by a tailor’s wife, from which the name Taylor originated. Donald would become the greatest warrior the Clan Cameron had ever known. His trusty weapon was the Lochaber axe. After many internal disputes within the Cameron clan, he fled with a band of followers. His descendants for ages were known as Mac an taillear, later as Taylor. As a tribute to Donald, the Cameron clan remembers him to this day with a lochaber axe, which borders and protects the outer shield of their family crest. So as a tribute to the origins of our ancestral name, we have added Donald’s Lochaber axe as one of the supporters of our shield too. It sits on the left, pointing back- representing the past.
B. FIJIAN WAR CLUB
The club represents our Fijian heritage, past and present. Adi Tapanesi Saucanavanua Waitela, our great grandmother, had ancestral connections to a famous battle against the Tongans on the shores of Taveuni in 1862. It was her grandfather’s older brother, Ratu Goleanavanua, the 7th Tui Cakau, who fought the Tongan invaders led by Wainiqolo.
The club is positioned on the right, taking us forward into the future. The Lochaber axe and war club criss-cross behind the shield, symbolising the crossover between the two unique cultures that gave rise to the Fiji Taylors. If one deciphers further, the crossed weapons also form the Saltire or St Andrews cross that appears on the Scottish national flag.
2. SHIELD
This shield is the centrepiece of the coat of arms; quartered and inlaid with five chargers (symbols with meaning). Looking closely, one will see the cross within the shield, which is a symbol of our Christian faith.
3. FIVE CHARGES
Charges refer to the elements on the shield:
i. Lymphad/Ship
This heraldry honours the journeys our forefathers took by sea to their new homelands. From Scotland, to India, to Fiji, and untold wanderings in-between, our family continues this tradition today, setting up outposts of the Fiji Taylors in Australia, New Zealand and beyond.
ii. Elephant with the Trestle (3 spiral symbol)
The Trestle, a Gaelic symbol inscribed on the cover over the elephant’s back, represents life and new beginnings. The elephant itself represents India, where John Taylor & Sarah Falconar Graham settled
Flowering Tagimouciaand had seven children. Archibald, the youngest, was the originator of the Fiji Taylors.
iii. Gavel
The Judge’s gavel represents Archibald’s professional life, which brought him to Fiji as a Magistrate. The gavel can also be seen as a symbol of truth and justice, something for us to aspire to.
iv. The Island of Taveuni with the cross and coconut trees
This island is our home and a representation of John Graham Falconer Taylor and Adi Sauca, who laid the foundations of our family in Taveuni. The cross on the hill, iconic to the island, reminds us of our faith and our history. The bountiful coconut trees stand for the many descendants of those Taylors from Fiji. And the waves of the ocean (wherever we are) link us all to our island home.
v. Lauder Coat of Arms
This is the coat of arms of Lauder, a little town in Scotland, where we originated. Lauder is where John Taylor was born and christened in 1788. Having this in the centre shows how our origins are what tie us together.
4. SHIELD SUPPORTERS: TAGIMOUCIA BRANCHES
The fronds of the Tagimoucia, Taveuni’s flower, are an affectionate depiction of the 13 Clans descended from the 13 children of John Taylor and Adi Sauca. The open flowering Tagimoucia represents the six daughters: Ruby, Violet, Fanny, Alma, Gladys and Dolly. The closed flowers are the seven sons: Harry, Gilmore, Charles, George, Jack, Joseph and William. Many of these names are still found in our family today, handed down from one generation to another.
5. COLOURS
We have chosen green and purple as they are the dominant colours of the tartan of Clan Taylor. They also happen to be the colours of the thistle, Scotland’s national flower. The other featured colours – black, red and gold – of the ribbon below, are also found woven into the Clan Taylor tartan.
TaylorFiji.com 