Cherokee Native American Symbols
The Cherokees are the largest of more than 500 Native American tribes recognized by the United States federal government.
As a result, their signs and methods of communication are widespread. Many people can understand them and communicate with them.
Here is an overview of Cherokee symbolism relating to animals, numbers, plants, flags, and weapons. Ticking all of them will help you better understand the culture of this tribe.
Animals
According to the Cherokee myth, the animals have lived in a higher world called Galunlati since the beginning of the earth.
Animals had seven days and nights to guard the beings on earth. The cougar and the owl were the only two creatures that could stay awake all the time because they could see things in the dark.
These people regard the owl with great respect because it has eyes on the front of the head, just like humans. They also believed that these animals could cure diseases.
In addition, owls have a strong connection with the spirit realm. Their appearance sometimes portended a future death. Healers using “owl medicine” on their deathbeds bestow peace and visions.
Numbers
Cherokee myths, traditions, and political arrangements commonly use two numbers: 4 and 7.
The number four refers to the four cardinal points: east, west, north and south. It corresponds to how heaven hangs the earth on four different cords.
On the other hand, the number seven signals seven clans in the nation. This number also represents the high standard of purity that few can achieve.
According to the culture, only seven things have reached this high level of purity, and they are:
- Two animals: puma and owl
- Five trees: spruce, laurel, pine, cedar and holly
Pine Tree
An anthropologist named James Mooney lived among the natives for a long time. He collected their stories and presented them in a book called Myths of the Cherokee.
This book covers many of the culture’s legends, including the origin of the Pleiades. Although other cultures have explained the roots of the Pleiades, people are still curious about the truth.
According to local legends, seven boys danced in front of the crowd and six of them flew up into the sky to become the six different stars.
Unfortunately, the seventh boy couldn’t make it because the earth swallowed him. His mother cried where he got lost. Her tears soaked up the ground, and there grew a pine tree.
The natives claimed that this tree had the same properties as the six stars. It could shine brightly with a similar light.
Flag
The flag of the Cherokee Nation has a seven-pointed star at its heart, symbolizing seven clans: Wild, Wolf, Long Hair, Paint, Bird, Potato, and Deer.
Wreaths of leaves and nuts circle the star, representing the fire that leaders have kept burning for centuries.
The phrases “Seal of the Cherokee Nation” surrounding the wreaths are printed in both Cherokee and English.
Seven stars surround the central symbol, symbolizing the seven clans. In the upper right corner, a black star represents the thousands sacrificed on the Trail of Tears.
Plants
Cherokee medicines and rituals make full use of spruce, cedar, holly, and bay trees. Native crops include beans, squash, and corn, known as the “three sisters.”
There are seven clans in the parish, and each has a different sacred forest.
- Wild: ash
- Wolf: Hickory
- Longhair: beech
- Color: Locust
- Bird: maple
- Potato: birch
- Deer: oak
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