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Clatsop-Nehalem Confederate Tribes - Oregon (U.S.)

Native American

image by Jakub Grombíø, 17 October 2008

Clatsop Nation

See also:

Clatsop Nation

This very interesting flag belongs to the Clatsop Nation, a small Indian tribe living in northwestern part of Oregon, by the mouth of Columbia River. The flag shows a black canoe with Indians sailing on blue water under red sky towards yellow sun (of which is seen only half). Unusually realistic design (reminiscent of the Kiribati flag), but it also could be seen from the distance also like geometric: red black and blue stripes with yellow semicircle at the hoist.
Jakub Grombír, 17 October 2008

More accurately, "The Clatsop-Nehalem Confederate Tribes", named after the two Clatsop and Nehalem nations encountered by the explorers Lewis and Clark in 1805-1806. They have currently 160 registered members but expect many more to be enrolled. They are pursuing federal recognition as an independent tribe.

The canoe, dugout in a cedar log, is a significant element of the Clatsop-Nehalem heritage. See the Canoe Project.

The elements shown on the flag sent by Jakub appear on the oval emblem present on the top of the website's pages. No flag seems to be mentioned there, which does not mean it does not exist, but a source for the flag is required.

Official site of Clatsop-Nehalem Confederate Tribes
Ivan Sache, 18 October 2008

Adopted August 2003, the flag depicts three tribal members in a traditional Clatsop canoe, harpoon at the ready, all in black, on a background of red over blue. They approach a yellow half-disk at the flag’s hoist.

According to the designer, Mark Scovell, son of tribal chief Joe Scovell: “The circular design of the yellow touches all of the other colors because it represents the Creator whose presence relates to all of life. The red represents blood which is life-sustaining, the blue represents food resources, and the black represents cooperative relationships. The Clatsop-Nehalem flag is a symbol of the four things that our Tribe believes in: first, we believe in community…we all need to work together to be a strong group and to survive; second, we believe in the power of the sun and that it is held in the sky by God to give us life; third, we believe in Blood that flows through us giving us life; fourth, we believe in the Sea as it is a provider of food and other things to help us survive.”

Source: “Local Encounter Tribes Adopt Flags”, Ted Kaye, Newsletter, Oregon Chapter—Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Nov. 2003.

Portland Flag Association, 20 December 2020