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How FLAGS Can Make MONEY For Your TRIBE
Tribal flags are unique windows into the history, culture and art
of Native peoples. For many years Donald Healy and I have
worked with leaders and members of Native Americans to
document their history and art, as expressed in their flags.
One result was our book NATIVE AMERICAN FLAGS, published in November 2003 by Oklahoma University Press,
with images and stories of 184 Native tribal flags.
From that work also came my company’s collection of in-stock
Native flags illustrated below. To encourage tribes to adopt
flags, TME Co. has offered a grant
program to ‘flagless’ tribes to design, produce, and sell
their flags.
So far the Apalachee, Chinook,
Clatsop-Nehalem, Jatiboniku
Taino, Munsee, Native
American Indigenous Indian Community, Northern
Tsalagi, Pokanoket Wampanoag, Sakaogon
Chippewa, Shoshone-Bannock -- all have benefited from this program. I hope many more will.
The Lakota Journal,
whose editor, Tim Giago, for many years suorted our effort
to document Native flags, suggested we encourage Tribal
Leaders to use their flags to make money for their tribes.
Some tribes already do – you will find direct links below to
the offices of the Cherokee of Oklahoma, Chickasaw, Citizen
Potawatomi, Texas Cherokee, and United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee – all of whom handle their
own flag sales. We encourage more tribes to do the same.
Here are
a couple of starting points:
· Order
tribal flags at wholesale or jobber prices and resell
through your tribal newsletter, website, pow-wow, and special
gatherings; e-bay is another outlet, one tribe is already
offering their flag there;
· Develop products promoting your flag image, such as T-shirts, caps, decals, car-window flags, magnets, watches, mugs,
lapel pins, money clips, key fobs, etc.
Some of these products are on our website. If they are
not, we can guide you to reputable dealers to acquire them at
jobber prices. For example, we do not make mugs or T-shirts or
caps, but can work with you at no charge to locate companies
who specialize in providing such items. We will also provide
you at no cost with your flag image in an electronic format
suitable for, say, a T-shirt maker, thus saving you up-front
art charges.
If you have questions, just call or e-mail – the
information is at the top of this page.
BUY NATIVE FLAGS ~ ~ IN-STOCK
3 x 5 feet, 200-denier nylon or polyester
2 brass grommets, indoor/outdoor use
Testimonials From Our Flag-Design Grant Program
Dances with Flags,
I received the flags and I must say on behalf of myself and the members of the Council, you honor us with the beautiful work that you've done on our flag. It came out even more beautiful than expected. We most humbly thank you our brother. I have a meeting tonight with some members, and the Council will be meeting soon.
Taino Ti & Good Spirits be with you!
Brave Wolf
Apache del Rio
Texas |
also in 4x6 inches
