Quote:
Originally Posted by MsDGP007
For example, I see Bob Marley, Burning Spear and Toots & the Maytals as "genuine" reggae; Sublime, UB40, and Ace of Base is "modified reggae"....while No Doubt, Madness, and D'Yer Mak'er by Led Zeppelin sort of resembles reggae...
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Oh, we completely agree on that, LOL. And let's not get started on Kool and the Gang and "Reggae Dancin'."
I guess where I see things a
little differently is that when one is talking about heraldry is that all of the heraldic authorities in Europe and elsewhere don't quite employ the same rules and conventions. Sure, many if not most of the basics are the same, but heraldic practice in Germany, for example, has historically differed from, say, practice in Italy, England, France or Scotland. Some things that are accepted in one of these countries is not accepted elsewhere. Newer authorities like those in Canada and South Africa just add to the differences.
The question that leaves is which standard should Americans, if they are going design new arms, use as the "valid minimum"? (And I agree with you that that is desirable.)
I think context has to come into play. For example, an organization with German roots might look to German practice, while the English traditions and rules are probably usually considered the "default" here. (I could make an argument, though, that an "American tradition" has developed with much less stringent rules -- look at the coat of arms of New York State, for example.) Latino groups might prefer to avoid that "Anglo-default" and look instead to Spanish traditions or its Latin-American offshoots. Meanwhile, an Asian group might prefer to avoid heraldry as we understand it altogether and look instead to Asian equivalents, like Japanese
mon.
The reality is that while many GLOs have heraldically "correct" coats-of-arms, many, including many older ones, do not. My own fraternity's arms, while very meaningful, are not completely "correct" according to the traditional rules. It works for and identifies us, though, and that's really the main point. As much as I value the "bare minimum rules," I can't deny that some perfectly good designs don't fit those rules.
Crest is finished
Hybrid Mode
