Great Seal of the Chickasaw Nation
History:
When the Chickasaw Nation was officially formed on March 4, 1856,
in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, the Chickasaw people honored War Chief
Tishomingo by representing him on the Great Seal of the Chickasaw
Nation. In addition, the figure represents the courageous Chickasaw
people.
Following the Civil War, the Chickasaw people wrote a new constitution
that was adopted on August 16, 1867. The Great Seal of the Chickasaw
Nation was affixed to all legal papers until the state of Oklahoma
was formed in 1907. Today, the Seal is again being used on legal
documents by the Chickasaw Nation.
Meaning:
The figure of the ancient Chickasaw warrior symbolizes the Chickasaw
people, traditionally a people of great courage. The arrows held
by the figure signify the two divisions of ancient Chickasaw tribal
society. The warrior also commemorates the beloved Tishomingo,
last of the war chiefs before the Chickasaws left their home in
the east and were removed to live among the Choctaw in the west.
About the Seal
1. The outer rim of the Seal is gold, and represents the purity
of the Chickasaw people.
2. The inner rim of the Seal is light purple, and represents the
honor of the Chickasaw people.
3. The two arrows held by the warrior represent the two divisions
of ancient Chickasaw society. One group lived in the woods, and
served as warriors, while the larger group lived in fortified
towns.
4. The warrior commemorates War Chief Tishomingo and also represents
all Chickasaw people.
5. The head feathers represent the four directions of the earth.
6. The band crossing over the warrior's left shoulder and passing
under his right
arm is known as the Warrior's Mantle and was made of swan feathers.
It was a traditional decoration for great warriors.
7. The quiver was generally made of deerskin, with the bottom
half being decorated with white fur. The quiver represents the
hunting prowess of the Chickasaw warrior, as well as his willingness
to defend his people. Since recorded history began on the mighty
Chickasaw Nation, Chickasaw warriors have never been known to
lose a battle.
8. The bow was made of hickory and also represented the hunting
prowess of the Chickasaw people and the ability of a hunter to
provide for his family.
9. The knee straps were made of deer hide strips and were a form
of Chickasaw medicine. They were thought to bring fleetness to
the wearer. Chickasaw warriors were known to be able to run for
many hours in pursuit of their prey.
10. The shield was normally made of deer hide stretched over a
frame. The shield signifies the protection of the warriors for
all Chickasaw people.
11. The river in the background is the Mississippi River, which
means "without source" in ancient Chickasaw. The river
was crossed many thousands of years ago when the Chickasaws made
their way to their promised land in the east.
12. The trees and plants within the Seal are those generally found
near the Mississippi River and serve to remind the Chickasaw people
of their original homelands.
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