Coat of Arms

To Rekindle Family Culture

Modern families in the western world lack a sense of true connection. We have allowed our culture to fracture us into a million pieces, we have come to believe that we should separate ourselves from any and all ties.

The individual is the highest priority.

There is no longer a sense of responsibility to build the family, to make it stronger. There is no unspoken expectation to carry on the family name with honor.

One lost tradition could revive modern families…

Connection To The Past

The past holds an inherent and unconquerable weight. Without it we have no model to follow, no perspective, no direction.

A number of factors have severed our connection to the past. History class has taught us nothing but to remember a series of events and dates which we have no connection to. Modern technology has caused many to believe themselves to be superior to those that came before them…

But, more time is required to properly explain the affects of this topic, perhaps we can speak about it another time.

The farther we descend into the past, the more likely we are to stumble upon pure gold left by our ancestors…their stories, their lives.

Many people look to the distant past at the lives of their father, mother, grandfather, or grandmother to find a story worth following.

A young boy ‘s father spent time in the military, so he too shall go to war. A girl’s grandmother worked as a nurse, the grandmother was a important figure in her life, so she too shall become a nurse.

We constantly look to the past to find our own way, but what if we expanded our family’s timeline over the course of several hundred years?

What stories could we find? How much more concrete would our model for the future be if we had a well of information (that we have a deeper connection to) to draw from?

The Sacketts

Louis L’Amour wrote his first book of “The Sacketts” series in 1959, it was titled “The Daybreakers”.

The story is about two brothers, Tyrell and Orrin Sackett who “join one of the first cattle drives to Kansas, seek their fortunes on the southern plains and finally settle in Mora, New Mexico. As they explore the landscape of the west they learn the cost of friendship, love, and the value of education.”

In total, there are 17 books in The Sacketts series. The earliest being set in 1600s England with Barnabas Sackett, and the latest book ending in the late 1800s.

Each book represents a step in a multi-generational story of exceptional people.

As the series goes on there are several times where the characters mention their ancestors, sometimes referring back to the first Sackett to cross over to America.

Often, the characters refer back to an ancestor to remember an act of bravery, or to recall a piece of wisdom which is correlated directly with that family member.

The stories of the family were passed down from generation to generation, setting a tone for the family as a whole.

“We are people of action. We are honorable, loyal, steadfast, and noble. No matter where we are, we will always come to the aid of a loved one.”

Every act of the Sackett family is in line with the tone of the family, the unspoken and unwritten code. Any deviation from this code by an individual would warrant quick correction from the family.

The Sacketts, although they are fictional, serve as a wonderful example of a strong family with a well-developed family culture. Their deep connection with their family’s history gave them a stronger sense of identity, allowing them to be forces of nature.

Your Stories

An understanding of your people and their ways is imperative. Everyone should at least have an understanding of their family and what their family values.

What does your family value? Strength, wisdom, courage, industry, integrity, grit?

If you aren’t sure, you may have to make it up. That’s what my dad did for my sister and I. He simply started saying, “Smiths don’t do that.” Or, “Smiths value this…” Was there a long tradition of our family holding those values? No, it started with my dad. He made it all up, but over time it has become true. That is what we actually value. 

Isn’t that how all traditions start? Someone has to decide how things will be. 

He did tell us stories that were completely true, stories of our family. One of our ancestors, John Howland, is famous for falling off of the Mayflower and surviving. His is a story of grit and courage. Or our great great great grandmother who used to babysit our dad when he was little. She would tell my dad stories of her travels along the Oregon Trail. 

Our great great grandfather was born dirt poor and worked his way up the ladder at John Deere. He started as a janitor and ended up as the vice president of the company. He was so loved and respected by the team at Deere, that when he passed away, long after retirement, they sent the corporate jet to bring his body back home to Moline, Illinois to be buried.

There’s nothing like these types of stories which connect us with our ancestors.

An understanding of familial culture gives a person a deep idea of where they come from. It allows them to establish a stronger connection with their family and their family’s past.

-Rite of Passage

Find a few stories of admirable people in your family tree, and use those ancestors as models for what you can do or who you can be.

Bringing It All Together

It all starts with creating a family identity: something that will bring attention to the bond between family members. 

The family coat of arms is a tradition that has mostly been abandoned.

It should be brought back.

My family created our own coat of arms several years ago, and I have found it particularly helpful. In fact, a flag with our coat of arms sits on the wall in front of me now.

When I look to it, I am reminded of what our family values.

Adopting the family coat of arms is essential to creating a stronger family identity.

The coat of arms is a powerful symbol, but when combined with stories from your family’s past, it’s power is enhanced.

Several great men of the past had their own coat of arms:

Thomas Jefferson’s coat of arms.

Motto: Ab eo libertas a quo spiritus (The one who gives life gives liberty)

George Washington’s coat of arms.

Motto: Exitus acta probat (The outcome is the test of the act).

Theodore Roosevelt’s coat of arms.

Motto: Qui plantavit curabit (He who planted will preserve)

A coat of arms is a visual representation (symbol) of your values, and it calls upon you to live in accordance with those values.

The stories of your family’s past will strengthen your roots, but the coat of arms will provide you and your family with a framework of personal conduct for the future.

Creating A Coat Of Arms

There are several pieces that go into creating a family coat of arms. These include the chosen colors, symbols, and layout.

Each part contains its own meaning and together form a coat of arms that represents your individual family.

The colors, symbols, and layout all have meaning. 

Below is a list of common colors and symbols and their meanings on a family coat of arms:

-Owls: Prudence and Wisdom

-Reds: Strength and magnanimity

-Green: Growth and Hope

-A lion: Courage, Nobility, and Valor

-Blue: Truth and Loyalty

-Gold: Generosity and Elevation of the mind

-Silver/White: Peace and Sincerity

-A horse: Speed, Intellect, and Virility

-A book: Knowledge and Imagination

-A sword: Justice and Military honor

-A torch: Life, Zealousness, Truth, and Intelligence

First, there is the shield. This will contain the main source of imagery in the COA and is the centerpiece that the other parts are added in addition to. 

Next is the mantling. This lays right below the shield, representing a knight's cape or mantling.

Then we have the helm which sits right above the shield. At the very top is the crest, on our crest we have a torch sitting at the top. The torch is a symbol of light, and for us it represents lighting the way towards our future.

A coat of arms is a visual representation (symbol) of your values, and it calls upon you to live in accordance with those values.

The stories of your family’s past will strengthen your roots, but the coat of arms will provide you and your family with a framework of personal conduct for the future.