Pascua Yaqui Tribe (U.S.)

Native American

Last modified: 2007-08-04 by rick wyatt
Keywords: native american | pascua | yaqui | arizona |
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image located by Ned Smith, 22 November 2006

Source: http://www.pascuayaquitribe.org/history_and_culture/culture/flag.shtml

• Description of the flag
• Overview

See also:

• Native Americans
• Arizona
• United States of America

Description of the flag

The explanation given for the symbolism at http://www.pascuayaquitribe.org/history_and_culture/culture/flag.shtml is:

• The color red symbolizes the blood shed to protect our people, our land, our customs and our religion.
• The color white symbolizes the purity of our spirit.
• The color blue symbolizes the sky, where our mother, Maala Mecha and our father, Achai Taa'ah are.
• The stars represent the cardinal directions, east, west, north and south.
• The moon represents our mother, Maala Mecha, the mother of all creation.
• The sun represents our father, Achai Taa'ah, the father of all creation.
• The black cross represents the memory of all of our ancestors who have died in the many wars to protect our people, our land our customs and our religion.

Overview

According to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in Arizona, their flag dates back to 1600s. The colors are blue, white and red, representing the sky, purity and the bloodshed suffered when the Yaquis met invading Spaniards in the mid-1600s. The Yaqui people were well known for their love of freedom and the fighting capabilities by the Spanish conquistadores and later by the Mexican government.

The early Spanish, and later the Mexican troops, encountered fierce resistance and for the long time were unsuccessful in their attempts to take over the land of the Yaquis. The symbols on their flag are reflecting the new religion adopted from the Jesuit missionaries and mixed with their own native beliefs and traditions which led to the creation of the magnificent Easter ceremonies still practiced to this day.

By the mid 1800s the conflicts over land and water rights caused the brutal war and the wipe-out of over 75 percent of the Yaqui people. Many surviving Yaquis fled then to the United States and settled in Arizona Territory around Old Pascua, Barrio Libre, Marana, Guadelupe and New Pascua. U.S. Congress afforded finally the federal recognition to the Yaqui Nation on 18 September 1978.

Chrystian Kretowicz, 9 June 2002