Coquille Indian Tribe

Flag
Proportions	Unknown, apparently 1:2.
Adopted	Early 1980s.
Design	The tribal seal in maroon or wine red is centered on a white field.  The field appears to have a narrow yellow border.  The seal bears several images (see Symbolism).  Surrounding the seal are two distinct elements.  The tribe’s name curves around the outside of the seal:  “COQUILLE” above and INDIAN TRIBE” below.  Inside these workds is a distinctive arrangement of large and small triangles.
Symbolism	The seal celebrates the history and culture of the Coquille people.  In the center is an Oregon Coast “plank house”, the traditional style of native housing in southwestern Oregon.  Behind the house is UmnatL QwLai, “Grandmother Rock”, a sacred tribal site at the mouth of the Bandon River.  While the rock itself was destroyed by the federal government in the 19th century, the site remains sacred and the rock remains on the seal.  A conifer tree to the left of the rock and others behind the house recall the forest and the timber industry which have long been elements in Coquille life.  Behind the seal, protruding from the top and bottom, is a Coquille fishing spear.  Fishing has been vital to the Coquille’s existence for millennia.The triangles represents the tattoo markings which the people of the southwestern coast of Oregon used to measure the strings of dentalium—the local shell money of the ancient native population.
How Selected	Unknown.
Designer	Unknown.
Links	ca.wikipedia.org: Tribu índia Coquille (in Catalan)
Acknowledgements	Source:  Flags of the Native Peoples of the United States (Donald T. Healy, NAVA:1997) Information provided to Mr. Healy by: Don Macnaughtan, former tribal librarian at the Dene-Miluk Cultural Center Library Researcher:  Ted Kaye

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