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Kialegee Creek - Oklahoma (U.S.)

Native American

image by Donald Healy, 10 January 2008

The band
The flag

See also:

The Band

map image by Peter Orenski based on input from Don Healy

Kialegee Creek - Oklahoma

The modern Creek of Oklahoma have formed what is called the Creek Confederacy. It unites the four parts of their Nation now found there, far from their original lands in what is Alabama. The four constituent parts of this confederation are the large and well known Muskogee, and three smaller segments, the Alabama-Quassarte, the Thlopthlocco and the Kialegee (ENAT, 74-76). The Kialegee actually constitute what is officially called a "tribal town" as opposed to the broader-based tribe.

The Flag

Over the Kialegee Tribal Town flies a blue flag that their past and the Creek culture. The flag is blue, like the flag of Oklahoma, and bears the seal of the tribal town in the center (Sample flag provided by the Homer Miller Co., Oklahoma City).

The seal consists of a light blue circle. Dominating the circle are a pair of stickball sticks. Stickball being a major game for centuries amongst the Creek people who are credited with its invention long before the white man touched North America. The stickball sticks divide the seal in four quadrants, four being the sacred number amongst many Native Peoples. Although the sticks may remind one of a lacrosse stick, lacrosse was actually influenced by Tribes of the Northeast not the stickball game of the Tribes of the Southeast. For lacrosse one stick is used but in the game of stickball two are used. The lacrosse stick is fairly large cupped in comparison to the stickball stick. According to John Timothy II, Director, Ataloa Lodge Museum and former Cultural Resources Officer at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee,OK the closest similarity between the two games is actually the ball.

In the upper quadrant is a black Christian cross for the faith of the modern Creek people.

The right quadrant bears a bald eagle shown in natural colors, this being both the pre-eminent animal in Native lore and symbol of the United States. The left quadrant contains a traditional tool for the grinding of corn, the staple of the Creek people throughout their history. The bottom section has a representation of the ancient ceremonial lodge found in Creek towns. This lodge was made of clay walls and had a bark covered, cone shaped roof. The lodge could reach a height of some 25 feet. The lodge is shown in natural shades lying upon a green hillock. In olden days this building served not only as a place for religious rituals, but also a shelter for the elderly and homeless (ibid..).

Surrounding this entire seal is a yellow ring. It contains the official name "Kialegee Tribal Town" in blue letters around the top while the year it was founded, "Estb. 1939"at the base.

The flag of the Kialegee Creek acts as a reminder of the long tradition of town dwelling by the Creek people and reinforces their link with that past as it continues in the Kialegee Tribal Town.

© Donald Healy 2008
information provided by Peter Orenski, 10 January 2008