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Mojave - Arizona, California, & Nevada (U.S.)

Native American

image by Donald Healy, 17 January 2008

The band
The flag

See also:

The Band

map image by Peter Orenski based on input from Don Healy

Mojave - Arizona, California, & Nevada

Located where Nevada, Arizona, and California meet, the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation encompasses over 32,000 acres. This is the principal home of the Mojave Nation, which gave its name to the Mojave Desert and the Mojave River. The climate of the Mojave land is one of the harshest in the United States. The Mojave have coped with the temperature extremes and aridity by settling along the bottom lands of the Colorado River, where the soil is enriched by the annual floods from mountain runoff and the sun is partially blocked by the hardy piñon pines that can survive on the river's moisture.

The Flag

The Mojave first encountered the Spanish (under Hernando de Alarcón) as early as 1540 (ENAT, 143-144). The Mojave flag was inspired by this early and lengthy contact with the Spanish. It is white with a blue fringe that forms a specific element. On most flags the fringe is simply decorative, while on the Mojave flag the combination of white cloth and blue fringe recalls the blue and white beads the Spanish traded with the Mojave.

Centered on the flag is the circular tribal seal, with peaked yellow scallops around the outer edge signifying the sun, so dominant in the life of a desert people. Within the sun, on a brown ring, is "FORT MOJAVE INDIAN TRIBE" in black. Within the ring a reservation map shows the three states and the Colorado River: California (the Golden State) in yellow, Arizona (the Copper State) in a brownish orange, and Nevada (the Silver State) in blue. The states are labeled in black: "CALIF.", "ARIZ.", and "NEV." The Colorado River is light blue. At the junction of the three states lies the reservation, in dark brown. At left (on California) is a decorated lance, a bow, and an arrow, all in natural colors. At right, (on Arizona) is the head of a Mojave warrior in natural colors.

© Donald Healy 2008
information provided by Peter Orenski, 17 January 2008