Cherokee Animal Symbolism

Cherokee animal symbolism  was an active and important part of everyday life.  Many cultures associate symbols with a meaning in life, such as a heart with love and a clover with luck.  When thinking of Native American symbols, most people immediately think of animals.  The repeated appearance of symbolic animals is seen as a message from that animal to be interpreted in one’s daily life. These animals can range from those we think of as powerful or strong, to those that many see as weaker animals.

There are many Cherokee animal symbols and these can play a role over a person's entire lifetime – this is called an animal totem.   A different animal with a new message may appear every day – this is called animal medicine.  The Cherokee paid strong attention to the appearances of new animals in their day to day activities, always searching for the message that each animal might carry for them.

The meaning, or medicine, of these animal symbols often has little to do with their relative strength, but more to do with their specific skills. Spiders for example, may send many people scurrying, but the sight of a spider sends a message of creativity – to find yourself a creative outlet or no longer put off the crafts you’ve been meaning to do.

The sight of a Bluebird reminds you to admire the world around you – perhaps you’ve gotten too caught up at work and forgotten to simply enjoy taking in the world? Snakes, while frightening to many, represent the need to shift from one state of being to another, much like the snake sheds his skin. The appearance of bear symbols in your life represent introspection, and may very  well be a sign that you should spend a little more time thinking about what you want from life or a situation.

Native peoples such as the Cherokee paid close attention to their surroundings.  Every plant and animal had a symbolic meaning.  They are all gifts from the Great Creator.

For more on Cherokee symbolism, read our articles on the Cherokee Seven Clans and other Cherokee Symbols.