Turtle with Stomp Dance Design

NC31

Gerald Dawavendewa (Hopi & Cherokee)

This design represents a sacred and social ritual performed by many Nations, including the Cherokee, who associated it with the Green Corn ceremony that has its roots in prehistoric Mississippian societies. Early Americans called it a "Stomp Dance," a reference to the dancing women who carry the rhythm of the song wearing turtle shells. It is a ceremony of worship, prayers, and community.

Turtles are a vital part of the Cherokee culture. In the world's creation, it is a turtle that brings soil that creates new land to a world with little. Turtle is also one of the important animals that once lived among the Cherokee and offered counsel. These animals eventually journeyed onward, but their smaller relatives stayed, and they are the animals we see today.