Flags of the Indigenous nations of Canada explained

The following are flags used by Indigenous nations of Canada.

First Nations

Anishinaabe

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
Unknown–present Flag of the Anishinaabek A black pictographic thunderbird on a white field Grand Chief Ben Wawia unknown
2010–present A blue and a brown block, with a symbol. unknown unknown

Blackfoot

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
Unknown–present Blood Tribe Grandfather Aatso’towa (Andy Black Water)[2] . The collaborative design of collective thought also included esteemed Blackfoot Grandparents and Knowledge Holders[3]
Unknown–present
Unknown–present
1990–present Red background. Siksika coat of arms in the centre, Union Jack in upper left. Mark Wolfleg Jr[4]

Cree

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
Unknown–present Flag of Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Alberta
Unknown–present Flag of Bigstone Cree Nation, Alberta
Unknown–present Flag of Cree Nation of Wemindji, Quebec
Unknown–present Flag of Cree Nation of Nemaska, Quebec
Unknown–present Flag of the Driftpile First Nation, Alberta
Unknown–present Flag of Enoch Cree Nation, Alberta
Unknown–present Flag of Fisher River Cree Nation, Manitoba
Unknown–present Flag of James Smith Cree Nation, Saskatchewan
Unknown–present Flag of the Kapawe'no First Nation, Alberta
Unknown–present Flag of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, Ontario
Unknown–present Flag of Mikisew Cree First Nation, Northwest Territories
Unknown–present Flag of Neskantaga First Nation, Ontario
Unknown–present Flag of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Ontario
Unknown–present Flag of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, Manitoba
Unknown–present Flag of Oujé-Bougoumou Cree Nation, Quebec
1983[5] –present Flag of Peguis First Nation, Manitoba Three horizontal stripes of yellow, green, and blue; representing the sun shining, grass growing, and water flowing. There is a red circle in the middle, red representing the Peguis people and the circle for life. Freda Bear Public domain (under threshold of originality in Canada)
Unknown–present Flag of the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, Saskatchewan
Unknown–present Flag of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Manitoba
Unknown–present Flag of Piapot First Nation, Saskatchewan Public domain (under threshold of originality in Canada)
Unknown–present Flag of Red Earth First Nation, Saskatchewan
Unknown–present Flag of Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, Manitoba

Dene

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
2005[6] –present A dark blue flag with thin centered horizontal white wavy stripe overlapping the bottom of a yellow sun disc with background-color fimbriation showing where these meet and four red teepees with white fimbriation and poles set in a row on the bottom half; yellow upright five-pointed star on the upper fly. probably under Threshold of Originality in Canada
–present
Unknown–present Flag of Tahltan Kolīne representing the two clans: Crow (or Tseskʼiya) and Wolf (or Chʼioyone)
2012–present Horizontally striped, red-white-red, 1–3–1, with five totems or emblems in the centre, from left to right: Kùkhhittàn (Raven Children), Ishklitàn (Frog), Yanyèdi (Wolf), Sèshitàn (Beaver), Dakhlʼawèdi (Eagle)

Innu

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
Unknown–present Flag of the Innu Nation Horizontal bands of teal, white and light blue, within the blue sits a centre snowshoe flanked by reindeer skulls on both sides
Unknown–present A vertical tricolour triband of chartreuse, white, green with the coat of arms of the Matimekush Lac John Band charged in the Canadian pale

Mikmaq

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
October 4, 1900-present Flag of the Mi'kmaq Nation Grand Council A white field with a red Latin cross and a red star and moon in the left quadrants; white denotes purity of creation, the red cross represents mankind and infinity, the sun and moon the forces of day and night, the flag is meant to be displayed hanging vertically as shown here[9] Rev. Father Pacifique Buisson[10] Public domain
Mid-1980s–present Flag of the Natuaqanek Band A red field with yellow left and right borders, a quartered roundel charged in the centre[11] Philip Young ?

Salish

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
Unknown–present Flag of the Secwepemc Nation Flag features 17 feathers representing the 17 bands in the Secwépemc Nation. The feathers are mostly black, with a white portion in the middle. The white portion signifies those communities which were wiped out by disease and other trauma following contact
2019–present A white Canadian pale on a teal field, with an arrowhead in the centre depicting a salmon leaping above a net Susan Point Presumed Copyrighted
1980–present Flag of the Nlaka'pamux Nation Circle wreath of Nlaka'pamux pictographs set on a grey field
Unknown–present
2014–present A white background with a bird charged in the middle.
Unknown–present

Tsimshian and Nass–Gitksan

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
Unknown–present
2001–present Flag of the Nisg̱aʼa Nation A vertical tricolour triband of black, white, and sanguine with the badge of the Nisga'a Nation,[12] surrounded by black and sanguine ovals, charged in the Canadian pale[13] Lloyd McDames and Peter McKay ?

Wyandot

Inuit

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
2005–present A white field with a white, green, and blue inukshuk charged in the centre
2018–present The flag features an Inuktitut: ulu, a traditional Inuit knife used by women. Within the Inuktitut: ulu image is a dog sled team, showing the importance of husky dogs, as well as a Inuktitut: kudlik, a traditional seal oil lamp Barry Pardy[15] Copyrighted
unofficial Thomassie Mangiok[16]
Unknown–present A gyrfalcon[17] Government of Canada (1984)[18] noncommercial use?[19]

Métis

FlagDateUseDescriptionDesignerCopyright status
Pre-1816–present A blue field with a white symbol of infinity charged in the centre Unknown Public domain (given year of creation)
Pre-1816–present A red field with a white symbol of infinity charged in the centre Unknown Public domain (given year of creation)

Notes and References

  1. News: ICI.Radio-Canada.ca . Zone Politique- . Onze histoires de drapeaux autochtones . Radio-Canada . 28 April 2023 . fr-ca.
  2. Web site: Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) landmark . The City of Calgary . 2 December 2024.
  3. Web site: Lethbridge . College . coming together in a holistic way:LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE NIITSITAPI STRATEGY . Lethbridge College . 1 December 2024.
  4. Web site: Siksika Nation . The Governor General of Canada . 2 December 2024 . en.
  5. Web site: About - Peguis First Nation . www.peguis.ca . 1 December 2024.
  6. Web site: Tlicho Nation (Canada) . www.crwflags.com . 2 December 2024.
  7. News: San Glans . G̲uud . Xaadaa ‘Laa Git’alang Isiss Children of the Good People: A History of the Haida Nation Logo . 1 December 2024 . Haida Lass . 2021.
  8. Web site: Kirst. Sean. 2016-09-23. In Niagara-on-the-Lake, native flag born in Buffalo raised as sign of peace. 2021-03-03. The Buffalo News. en.
  9. Web site: Flags of the World . 2010-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170704133026/https://flagspot.net/flags/ca_micmc.html . 2017-07-04 . dead .
  10. Web site: Paul . Daniel N . Mi'kmaq Nation Flags . www.danielnpaul.com . 1 December 2024.
  11. Web site: Canada > Index of Pages > First Nations > Mikmaq. Flags of the World. 1712-9842. 20 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20170704133026/https://flagspot.net/flags/ca_micmc.html. 4 July 2017. dead.
  12. Web site: The Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada > Nisga'a Nation. Canadian Heraldic Authority. Canadian Heraldic Authority. Queen's Printer for Canada. 20 September 2010.
  13. Web site: Canada > Index of Pages > First Nations > Nisga'a Nation. Flags of the World. 1712-9842. 20 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101006034318/http://flagspot.net/flags/ca_nisga.html. 6 October 2010. dead.
  14. Web site: Huron-Wendat Nation . The Governor General of Canada . en.
  15. Web site: Proposed NunatuKavut flag . PBS . March 28, 2020.
  16. News: News . Nunatsiaq . A Nunavik flag could inspire the region: designer . 1 December 2024 . Nunatsiaq News . en.
  17. Web site: Our Logo - The Gyrfalcon . Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
  18. Web site: Inuvialuit (Canada) . www.fotw.info . 19 November 2024.
  19. Web site: Terms of Use . Inuvialuit Regional Corporation . 19 November 2024.