Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy facts for kids
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| Proportion | 3:5 |
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| Adopted | 1980s |
| Design | A purple flag with four connected, white squares and an eastern white pine tree in the center. |
| Designed by | Rick Hill; Harold and Tim Johnson |
The Iroquois Confederacy flag, also known as the Haudenosaunee flag, is a special symbol for the six nations of the Haudenosaunee people. It is a purple flag. On it, you will see four white squares connected together. In the middle, there is a white pine tree. This flag shows the unity of these nations.
Contents
The Flag's Story
Why Was the Flag Created?
The Iroquois Confederacy flag has an interesting story. In the 1980s, the Haudenosaunee lacrosse team needed a flag. They were going to a competition in Australia. They wanted a flag to show that the Haudenosaunee were a distinct group.
Who Designed the Flag?
A Tuscarora artist named Rick Hill helped create the design. He worked with a father and son, Harold and Tim Johnson, who were Mohawk. Harold Johnson had a t-shirt shop. Tim Johnson was a student at the time. Rick Hill's first idea was inspired by an Onondaga leader named Oren Lyons. The Johnsons then helped make the final design. The lacrosse team loved the flag. Soon, it became a symbol for all the Haudenosaunee people.
What the Flag Means
The Hiawatha Belt
The design of the flag comes from something called the Hiawatha Belt. This belt is very old. It was made when the first five tribes of the Haudenosaunee joined together. The Hiawatha Belt is a type of wampum belt. Wampum belts are made from shells. They were used for hundreds of years to show agreements and unity. The flag carries on this tradition of unity.
Colors and Symbols
- Purple: This color is very important to the Iroquois. It comes from the shells used to make wampum.
- White Squares: The four white squares and the tree represent the original five nations of the Haudenosaunee.
- Eastern White Pine Tree: The tree in the middle stands for the Onondaga nation. This is where the five nations first came together to form the Haudenosaunee. The tree also represents the Tree of Peace. This is a very important symbol of peace and unity for the Haudenosaunee. Interestingly, the needles of the eastern white pine tree grow in groups of five.
