The Seven Clans of the Cherokee
87Symbol of the 7 Clans
Division of the Clans
There are 7 clans of the Cherokee Indian. It is important to know this because they are not allowed to marry inside their clan. The women are the head of household in the Cherokee so membership is attained through the mother. The members within a clan are considered brothers and sisters.
It is said that there were originally 14 clans but some of the clans would not obey the laws and customs of the people and were driven out of the nation. The expelled clans formed the tribes now known as the Erie, Mohawk, Onandaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Oneida. It is taught among the Chickamauga that ALL clans are part of the Bear Clan. The seven clans that remained became known as Ugaya (Seven Clan Society).
Aniwahya (Wolf Clan or Panther representing war)
The Wolf Clan is the largest and most prominent clan. They provide most of the war chiefs in our history. They are the keeper and tracker of the wolf. They are the only clan who could kill a wolf through special ceremonies and wolf medicines.
It is their responsibility to develop, maintain and teach the knowledge of loyalty, protection and security. They have the ability to keep up to date intellegence on the surrounding environment, to function as part of the group while maintaining their own individuality and the wolf an its habitat. The clan color if the Aniwahya is red, their wood is hickory and their flag is red with white stars.
Ani Tsiskwa (Small Bird Clan or Eagle representing spirit)
The Small Bird Clan rests in the north on the Chickamaugan Stomp Ground. Members of this clan are the keepers of the birds, sacred feathers and bird medicines. They are very skilled in using blowguns and snares for bird hunting. These members are the messengers. They are responsible for teaching the importance of recognizing the whole pattern of life regarding positive and negative events. They teach keen observation, sharing and giving, interpretation of dreams, the birds, interpretation of their messages and their willingness for self-sacrifice for the sake of the two legged ones. They are responsible for collecting feathers earned by others because they were the only ones authorized to collect them. Their color is purple, their wood is maple and their flag is blue with red stars.
Anikawi (Deer Clan or Bison representing peace)
These clan members were the keeper of the deer, deer hunters and trackers, tanners and seamers as well as keeper of the deer medicines. They rest in the northwest on the Chickamaugan Stomp Ground. They are known as fast runners and foot messengers, delivering messages from village to village or person to person. They also maintain all sports and sports equipment. It is their responsibility to teach the knowledge of relaxation and unconditional love. They also teach of the deer and its habitat, including its willingness of self sacrifice to provide the two legged ones with food and clothing. Their color is brown, their wood is oak and their flag is purple with yellow stars.
Anigilohi (Twister Clan or "Long Hair" representing day and night)
Members of the Twister Clan are also known as Long Hair (Anigilohi), Hanging Down Clan or Wind Clan. The word Gilahi is short for an ancient Gitlvgvnahita, meaning "something that grows from the back of the neck". They rest in the south on the Chickamaugan Stomp Ground. Members of this clan wore their hair in elaborate hair styles, walked in a proud and vain manner, twisting their shoulders. (Hence, Twister Clan). Peace Chiefs wore a white feather robe. This clan's responsibility is to teach tradition, spiritual knowledge and intuition. Many old spiritual priests came from this clan. It is sometimes refered to as the Stranger Clan because prisoners of war, orphans from other tribes and others with no Cherokee tribe were often adopted into this clan. Their color is yellow, their wood is beech and their flag is black with white stars.
Anisahoni (Blue Clan or Blue Holly representing Sky)
Members of the Blue Clan were keepers of all children's medicines and caretakers of the medicinal herb gardens. They rest in the southwest on the Chickamaugan Stomp Ground. They became known for a medicine from a bluish colored plant called the Blue Holly and were so named after it. They are also known as the Panther or Wildcat Clan in some regions. Their responsibilities include teaching knowledge of the panther and its habitat, truth, ability to balance power, intention, physical strength, grace and growing, preparing and using herbs for food and medicinal purposes. Their color is blue, their wood is ash and their flag is blue with white stars.
Anigatogewi (Wild Potato Clan or Tobacco representing flesh)
Members of the Wild Potato Clan were known as farmers and gatherers of the wild potato plants in swamps (gatogewi meaning swamp), and along streams to make flour or bread. They rest in the south on the Chickamaugan Stomp Ground. Their responsibilities include teaching the knowledge of in-sight, introspection, gathering, growing and preserving food, and providing shelter. They also teach of the bear and its habitat and the bear's willingness for total self sacrifice to provide food and clothing for the two legged ones. This clan may have also been known as the Bear Clan. They are nurturers by nature and gatherers. According to the Chronicles of Oklahoma, they were originally known as the Kituwah Clan. Their color is green their wood is birch and their flag is yellow with green stars.
Aniwodi (Red Paint Clan representing death)
The Red Paint or Paint Clan were also known as the "Corn People". They rest in the southeast on the Chickamaugan Stomp Ground. Members of this clan made red paint. Dida:hnvwi:sgi (healers/ sorcerers and medicine men) and Adawehi (wisemen) traditionally came from this clan at one time in our history. This clan is the smalles and most secretive of the groups. Their responsibilitis include teaching the knowledge of life, birth, death and regeneration. They also teach of things kept hidden, second sight and illusion, including the ceremonies, rituals and tools thereof. They were the only ones allowed to make a special red paint and dye that were used for ceremonial purposes and warfare. This clan is known for their prominent Medicine People and Conjurors. Their color is white, their wood is locust and their flag is black with red stars.
Clan Control
Each clan is controlled by elected women and by elders of both men and women. The women were given this responsibility because they were the ones who stayed home with their babies and assured the continuity of the family and clan. Because of this responsibility of the women for the family and the town, all property belonged to the women and the children belonged to her clan as only a mother is known for sure. It was women who inherited field rights as handed down from mother to daughter.
It was the responsibility of each clan to judge and execute any punishment of any social wrong done by a clan member but the clan did not and could not make the laws or social customs. All laws and customs were made either by the Anidawehi, the people or evolved out of ancient acceptance. All religious laws were handled by the Anidawehi and Cherokee's believed religion was part of every day living.
The Four Sacred Colors
Each of the four sacred colors represent a direction and is associated with certain meanings.
- Red: East / Success / triumph
- White: South / peace / happiness
- Black: West / death
- Blue: North / defeat / trouble
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Thanks Donna! I am enjoying doing it! There is so much to learn and never gets boring! Thanks for your support!
Bonnie
That was really interesting. We do not understand so much of what or how the indians lived or their customs. So through your great hubs we are all learning together thanks for that Bonnie
Thanks, Eileen! I appreciate you stopping by and all the support you have all been. It is a wonderful journey and I am glad I am taking it with friends.
Bonnie
Love this series of hubs. Native American culture and customs are a valuable part of history that should never be lost. Good work and interesting reading.
ms kim
Hi, MS Kim!
Thanks for stopping in and posting comments! I have really enjoyed doing these and running a couple of days behind on another one. But you know how it is...gotta save time for business LOL.
Bonnie
Bonnie osiyo ale wado nasginai duquadadv
donadagohvi daksesdesdi
Noquisi,
Thanks for dropping by and posting. I have spent the last several hours researching the translation for this post and I am afraid you may have to help me out on it. Unfortunately I know nothing about speaking or reading Cherokee language, which is something I am about to correct soon.
I found a few of the words so correct me if I am wrong. What I got so far has been:
Bonnie, Hello and thank you for (couldn't find the translation for duquadadv) Until we meet again (next one I couldn't locate, daksesdesdi).
I hope you come back through so you can help me with this as I am very curious now! Hopefully before long, I won't need a translation to understand the written language.
Bonnie
Loved the hub! I love anything Native American. I wrote several Lenses on Squidoo about the Lakota Sioux. Keep up the good work on this topic!
Correction on the color red, it represents war not death. Black represents death. Thats why we call west as "wudeligvi"
EBCI
omg
I love this! Its nice to find Cherokee history! Im still learning more about where i come from! Im a cherokee but my family dont speak the lanuage and stuff! And i would love to learn what Cherokee tribe my family is from! I have learned a few things to say though lol! um let me see...siyu(means:hello!)Osigwotsu? (how are you?) Osigwo (I'm well) ihina? (and you?) Osd! (Great!) Thats all i know lol! well chat with ya later!
Great hub, I live near Cherokee NC and have always ben told there is Cherokee blood on both sides of our family.
Robert Ballard
I'm trying to trace my Cherokee ancestry. This hub was a learning experience for me. Thank you.
I have a question reguarding clans, what makes you a part of them? or how do you know which clan you belong to? I appoligize if youve already answered this and I just didnt understand it. Please someone email me and let me know, my family is cherokee (not 100 percent) and I am intrested in knowing what I can. Thanks so much and this is a really awsome page! sillycrzygirl03@yahoo.com
this is so interesting it has help me understand more about culture.
I am a 13 year old girl in Auburn, NY. For homework, I had to write an essay about Cherokee. This video helped me a lot, and on the next day I got an A+ (I handed my essay in yesterday and is now commenting.) Thank you a lot of making this video, it helped me a lot. Really!!
My Great Grandmother's clan was probably the Bird, as to this day I am obsessed with finding feathers and watching hawks, etc.-I know another Cherokee whose father was in the bird (Hawk) Clan. WOW. Great Hub!
hi im doig a project on Cherokee Indians this really opened my eyes thanks
I have been trying to trace my cherokee ancestry since I received my mothers birth certificate. Unfortunate I don't have family left to share knowledge. I'm told "Young" is well know cherokee name.?? Thank you for the clan data. I wish I knew which one to research
Thanks for your website; I am lucky to know about my tribe and my clan and happy to see that there is another place out there where people can get information.....
Upon researching for my family, Chief Sequoyah is my 6th or 7th great uncle. His mother was Wut-teh from the Red Paint Clan. My 6th or 7th great grandmother. Sequoyah (George Gist) married Sally Waters from the Bird Clan. This is the only information I have and am using to help aide my daughter in research for school. This hub has been wonderful in telling me what the role of the women were. I still have tons information I need to discover. Thanks for creating this page for us all!
I have been looking for a site like this for a long time. I am so glad I Googled "Cherokee Indian 7 clans".
This is a very informative site. I've been researching my Cherokee heritage and keep coming up empty. This gives me a better understanding of the ways my 4th Great grandmother would have lived.
beautiful simply beautiful :')
oneof the goods
hay good web site good info.
I am Cherokee/Creek Heritage from Oklahoma area..My Great grandmother was the Pinetree/Maxwell clan..Does anyone have any History? I have her Dawes Roll number
and some pictures. my Grandma is 95 years old now and has some History.
Wado..Rhonda/ Cherokee singing Starr
i am the seventh gen. of susannah springfrog of the bird clan
How do I start tracing my heritage? My GGGG Grandmother burned her stuff because she was ashamed. That's how people made them feel. My GGGG grandfather was a frontiersman who saved her from death by this Govt!
im 3/4 cherokee indian and im in the long hair clan. My boyfriend which is full blood cherokee is in the wild potato. my GG grandfather was in the trail of tears but he claimed to be black dutch. Im 14 and i dance at many different grounds in oklahoma, but my home land is red bird smith grounds. are chief (my grandfather) is very old and is almost his time. next in line is his son (my uncle). I wanna learn more about my history and where i came from. and how we came to be who we are today.
i loce how inforative your site is and would like more info on how to find out what clan i come from. please send me info on how to do this to blinkyjohn1969@yahoo.com thank you
Very interesting and informative site. I am of The Wolf Clan, Ancestors of the vow of silence after being herded onto the last trains to Tuscumbia and the flat bottom boats that went to ground. Among those that escaped was my Great grandMother and Great Great GrandMother.
While I have only their English names so far, I have the oral history of my Grandmother, first Daughter of Great GrandMother. I am the first born and Daughter of her First born Son.
While I may never find the Cherokee Names of my Ancestors, I love my Peoples and Pray to help any way I am able.
I appreciate the info you have. I also found a petition for the Cherokee of Tennessee and to my dismay, someone has messed with the site. While the petition is there there is little else but ads in rendom. I have tried to find a way to reach them and tell them to no avail. If anyone knows anyone there would you please be so kind as to let them know? There should be far more than 93 signatures on this petition. WaDo
Your Oginali & Ulv
I found your site because I wanted to know more about the blue medicine the Cherokees gave to their children. I REALLY wanted to watch the rest of the videos. Your site is osd!!! Thank you so much. Your people are osd!!! At least one of my two daughters is part Cherokee, and I suspect the other may be also. I also suspect that all or most of my friends and the people I know are at least part Cherokee. I want to apologize for what the white man did to your beautiful land and culture and way of life.
This site is wonderful. I am a girl scout leader and we are learning about the 7 clans. This site has wonderful information
Hi, I need help I have been told my great great Grandfather was full blooded Cherokee and from New Bern North Carolina,his name is Jesse James Gentry or Jentry. I have been told he died in North Carolina.He also live in Stringtown Kentucky where he married Kizzie Yates from Virgina they had two children William Johnny Gentry and Maybell Gentry.I appreciate any help you can give me.I hope to fine more of his family.Thank you Susan
I would like to know if you know anything about the Shawnee Cherokee?
my e-mail is bettyg2025@yahoo.com
THANK YOU FOR THIS POST, I HAVE CHEROKEE ON BOTH SIDES OF FAMILY ONE IS THE WOLF CLAN AND THE OTHER IS THE DEER CLAN!! AGAIN WADO FOR THIS POST AND MANY BLESSINGS!!!
WADO FOR THIS POST. I TOO HAVE CHEROKEE ON BOTH SIDES. MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL:)
Im looking for any information on my back ground. My father was in a family of 13 kids his mother was born on a reservation thats hospital burned down. Therefore no proof of birth. All Im looking for is proof of heritage . Im not looking for a free ride or any other financial gains. Her name is Naiomi Redman and I think she was born in or around Campbells Missiouri. If you can help me in any way please do. Thanks for your time and efforts Connie
consdabomb66@yahoo.com
Connie, Bonnie, and whomever may help... My great-grandfather's name was James Redman from Kennett Missouri. His wife died in Missouri so long ago we don't know her name. I was told that the Redman's are indeed Cherokee, but we can't seem to trace past him. He moved to Onaway Michigan with his son Jewel and daughters Lucy, Mary and my grandmother who changed her name from Callie to Kelly. If James is a relative, I would not know, but would love to find out. I would also love to find out what clan we belong to. Thank you, Bonnie, for making these connections possible.
cmfrancois@speakeasy.net
Does anyone Know of any Cherokee elders, Living or passed, By the name of Ten Feathers? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thnx,, Dan
Osiyo,
I am not a member of anything, but recognize that the Spirit of these Cherokee people is strong inside of me and some of my Nephews and Nieces(we tan real easy... hah) and our children are "sacred" to our Hearts.
I knew my great grandmother who was half Irish and half Cherokee. She was the daughter of Mary Jane Tickener who showed up with her younger brother in Pennsylvania "K" House--Bradford County PA.
Even with this, my "surprise" came when my grandfather (dad's dad) was sitting and talking to me in his house and looked beside me and started to sound like a 10 year old boy. He was 90-something. He spoke Cherokee words (or I heard them??) and I asked who he was talking to. His reply was his Cherokee grandmother. A bride taken back north during the Civil War by his grandfather who was a Captain in the Military. I saw photos of his aunts and uncles, many were "very dark" people.
My mom, recently spoke about "dark people" coming to visit her. I recognized that these are her ancestors, so I told her to greet them and find out who they are.
She has Parkinson's and has been close to dying during this last year. Mom is the last "woman" in her clan that went gggrandmother
ggrandmother,
grandmother to
mom.
Since she only has sons, my mom is that last of her Cherokee clan.
Something INSIDE tells me that she needs to meet Cherokee women before she dies, so she can be accepted once again as a full-blood and clan mother. I do not know how this is done.
I am curious about many things, but feel that there is more inside that I do not know. I have had other Native Peoples tell me that my face and body are more Native than european. I keep learning new things all the time.
The best part for me, is that I love to listen to Cherokee peoples together with the laughter and good Spirit they have for each other.
adanvdo,
gogv unega
thanks for info
Thanks to this info i pased my class!!
me too
me too
great info, i got A+
Awesome! Im learning about this!
is the bell name any relation to the wolf clan
Osiyo my cherokee family
Ocyio
I am a PROUD member of the Western Band of Cherokee. My family is of the Wolf Clan & Paint Clan. My 7th cousin was Will Rogers who was of the Paint Clan. I went to The Nation to shop one day during National Holiday and saw a wall hanging for Ani Waya, I asked for it in Tsa La Gi..did I get some looks. LOL..I keep it with all my Cherokee/Native American items..I was told as a teen that my GG Grandmother was a Di-da Ih-ne-se Is-gi. I guess I get a little from both sides.
My Aunt was buried with the Blanket of the Chiefs draped over her, and on it; her name embroidered with her DOB & DOD..It hangs in the Nation's House.
It was nice seeing this site. Keep up the education.
Wado U ha O s dv i ga
Wow!! I love all of this info. My cousins and I are researching our heritage and found that my great great grand mother was cherokee indian. her husband who is my great great grandfather was part indian and part black. It is not clear if it was his mother or father who was indian. I am very excited about these findings. Keep up the great work. Oh yea. I have a pic of het next to a flag. Im gonna look ay it again to see what clan she belobged to. Thanks again
This has been great for a book that I am currently compossing.
This is really an interesting piece of work. Im 15, and Cherokee. My family really isnt into all of the history because of modern economy; really no time to research. I had two grandmothers that were full Cherokee and I've always been interested in learning about my culture.. problem is I dont know very much..only one granma's name: Jewl Sundae. The other one had an american name in which we only used her last name. Leffew. But thank you for the info.
Hello,
I just love this site~! Thank you for all your efforts here.
I am looking for anyone who may know any Yocums...My great grandmother....Hattie Yocum...well I'd love to find more about her..
Thank you!
my email is hadahra@gci.net if anyone has any info or wants to talk!
To shawn eugene thompson,
I too am descended from Susannah of the Bird Clan. I am finding different sources that say her names was either Springfrog or Corntassel. Was wondering if anyone had any definite information on that.
Also, I noticed your last name was Thompson. You wouldn't happen to be descended from Ann (Susan) Sanders Wooldridge Thompson, would you?
email me and we can discuss: beretta27@aol.com
Thanks!
-john
I grew up west. This clip refreshed memories of faces I have known. Memories of a land were I grew up. The People of the American continent were indeed a People.
Aho
Very interesting- thank you!! I am interested in the the Vanns and which clan they would belong to.
My great grandfather was apart of the wolf clan that is so so cool!!!
Looking for info for Martha Pinetree was full blood Cherokee born in Cherokee Nation Ga. She married Henry Cagle in Warren Co. Tn.
I'm Cherokee on my father's side and I would like to know which clan I am from. How do you think I should go about finding that out?? My father has found out that his great-great grandmother was a princess so I suspect that I am Wolf Clan seeing as they are the first ranked out of the 7. But like I said, I don't know for sure. My father isn't sure either which Clan we are related to. So can you help me??
@Wolflover
...Sorry it entered without me finishing. I am proudly a part of the Wolf Clan as well as a Cherokee. The only way to establish one's clan is through their mother, not their father or his lineage.
I am a Great-Great-Great-Great Grandson of John Vann. John Vann's mother is Wah-Li from the Long Hair Clan.
why do old people feel like they have to put their names after every comment they put on websites?
My fiancee is Cherokee. She calls me Uyotsvhi.
Kia Ora (Greetings)
I am a Maori woman from New Zealand and I am currently doing an assigment on indeginous models of language. I have chosen to study the Cherokee Indians, the history, the background, the impact, key elements, and key developments of the language. Part of the assignment too is to compare with our own model of language the simalarities and the differences.
Thank you very much, this has been of great value to me. Both of our ancestors were gifted people and I believe this because they were spiritual people.
O'siyo tsidanalu...(Hello my family.)
Equa adalvquodi ani degataga utloyasdi nihi ani.... (Great honor standing together with you here.) Nvwado'hiyadv ale gohiyuhi.... (Peace and respect.)
Do'dadvgo?hvi tsidanalu...(Until we meet again my family).
Do'hiya Ale Aisv Gvdogi Nvwhto'hiyada...(Be well and walk with peace)
Edudi adadoligi...(Grandfathers blessings).
How to go about finding out about our heritage-all older family members are gone -all we know is that our GGG grandmother was full blooded Cherokee-Wolf Clan -N Carolina-my grandmother Gertrude Mae Keller never gave me her name to be able to trace-Is there any hope of finding out?? fisher_kathi@hotmail.com
My father is spus to be full to 3/4
blood Cherokee but his birth parents left the hospital before they signed his birth certificate it kills me I feel dead. My women is
baby white wolf her ggg grand father was chief white horse pray I may find my hearts.
I have had experience s where wolfs have come to me stopped looked into my eyes I felt the wolfs except me like into they're pack. This summer though I plan on fighting 300+ coyotes. And purposeally dying maybe then I would be worthy.
@wolflover:
The Cherokee's didn't have princesses.
donnaleemason 4 years ago
Another awesome hub Bonnie. I am really enjoying this series.
Donna