ARTICLES:
The real White Buffalo Turquoise
Gemstones Used in Indian Jewelry
- What is Old Pawn, Dead Pawn
- Red Coral,
- the Red Gold
- of Indian Jewelry
- History of Navajo
- Trading Posts
- History of Glass
- Trade Beads
- Sacred Color
- Symbolism
Native American Color Symbolism
Colors in Native American culture often symbolize different things from tribe to tribe...
Navajo Meanings of Colors
The Four Sacred Mountains
and directions are associated with sacred
colors. The Navajo belief is that their Creator placed them on the land between
the following 4 mountains representing the 4 cardinal directions:
White: Mount Blanca (Tsisnaasjini' - Dawn or White Shell Mountain) Sacred Mountain of the East near Alamosa in San Luis Valley, Colorado
Blue: Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil - Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) Sacred Mountain of the South north of Laguna, New Mexico
Yellow: San Francisco Peaks (Doko'oosliid - Abalone Shell Mountain) Sacred Mountain of the West near Flagstaff, Arizona
Black: Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa (Big Mountain Sheep) - Obsidian Mountain Sacred Mountain of the North La Plata Mountains, Colorado.
The principal colors, white, blue, yellow and black are linked to the four sacred mountains as well as the directions- Red is often considered a sacred color and represents sunlight.
White Mountain Apaches
The four sacred colors of the White Mountain Apaches in east central Arizona:
White represents the north, source of snow
Yellow is east, where the sun comes up
Green is south
Black is west, home of the sun's setting
These colors are used in a variety of settings, from the tribal government seal to the ribbons on the cane of Changing Woman (the girls' puberty ceremony).
Medicine Wheel color symbolism:
EAST- dawn of new day-Yellow-illumination-inspiration-eagle
SOUTH- red or green-passion, heart, warmth-emotions-porcupine
WEST- black-introspection, self examination, reflection-bear
NORTH- wisdom of our elders-white-white buffalo
CherokeeThe Four Directions
Colors were associated with the four directions.
Blue represented North which meant cold, defeat and trouble.
White was South representing warmth, peace and happiness.
Red was East, the color of the Sacred Fire, blood, and success.
Black was West, the color meaning problems and death.
Other colors also had special meanings.
Brown was good but yellow meant trouble and strife.
The circle was also a basic symbol for the Cherokees. The council houses were
circular and the fire inside was built so that the fire would burn in a circular
path. The stomp dance and other ceremonies were performed in a circular pattern.
This information was posted to Getty Teacher Art Exchange by Christine Merriam at www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm
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