Indigiqueer Pride Flag (cedar-maw)

Overview

To provide a pride flag for Indigenous Queer people whose identity or experience is not specifically described by the Two-Spirit framework, addressing a gap cedar-maw identified in existing Indigenous Queer flag representation. ^[1]

By 2021, Two-Spirit pride flags existed in several variants (2005, 2016, 2021), but all were specifically tied to Two-Spirit identity, a concept requiring culturally specific gender/social roles recognized by one's Indigenous community. Tumblr user cedar-maw observed that no pride flags existed for the broader experience of being Indigenous and Queer without necessarily holding a Two-Spirit role, and created the Indigiqueer flag to fill that gap. The inclusion of the Métis Infinity symbol grounds the flag in a specific Indigenous cultural tradition while the broader design speaks to pan-Indigenous Queer identity. ^[1]

Identity & Context

Represented Identity

Indigiqueer

Subcommunity

Indigenous people who are Queer in specifically Indigenous ways, broader than Two-Spirit identity specifically

Movement

Indigenous Queer visibility, Indigiqueer identity recognition

Diaspora Context

Pan-Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Native American)

Language Context

The term 'Indigiqueer' (originally 'indigequeer') was coined by TJ Cuthand for the 2004 Vancouver Queer Film Festival's Indigenous/Two-Spirit program. It was later popularized by author Joshua Whitehead. Cuthand explained that some LGBTQ Indigenous people don't feel comfortable with 'Two-Spirit' because it implies a dual-gender framework that doesn't describe their identity. ^[2]

Racial / Ethnic Context

Exclusively Indigenous identity. The creator explicitly stated 'This flag is for Natives only.' The flag was tagged for First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Native American communities. ^[1]

National Context

The Métis Infinity symbol specifically ties this flag to Métis identity (Canada), though the broader Indigiqueer framing is pan-Indigenous

The Indigiqueer framework intentionally does not require the culturally specific Two-Spirit role. It offers a way for Indigenous people to claim Queerness on Indigenous terms without needing to hold a specific ceremonial or community-recognized gender role. This makes it potentially more accessible to urban Indigenous people, those disconnected from their Nations' specific traditions, or those whose Queerness doesn't map onto the Two-Spirit framework. ^[2]

Creators

The Creator

Attribution notes

cedar-maw is a Tumblr user (they/he pronouns, age 22 at time of posting) whose bio includes the self-descriptors 'White' and 'Reconnecting,' and who is learning Michif, the traditional Métis language. The combination of 'White,' 'Reconnecting,' and Michif study is consistent with a white-passing or mixed-heritage Métis person reconnecting with Indigenous identity, a common experience in the Métis community. The creator stated the flag is explicitly 'for Natives only' and noted 'It's not perfect but I'm humble.' The post was tagged with #ndn, #first nations, #inuit, #metis, and #native american, indicating a pan-Indigenous intent. ^[1][3]

Origin

Place Type

Tumblr post

Digital Origin

true

Origin Type

first_publication

Physical Origin Status

not_applicable

Digitally originated on Tumblr. No verified physical place of origin. The creator's Metis heritage is documented but does not constitute a physical origin location for the flag itself. ^[1]

Posted on Tumblr by cedar-maw on September 9, 2021. The original post was later reblogged by pride flag archive blogs including Beyond MOGAI Pride Flags (February 11, 2024) and lgbtqa-pride-icons. ^[1][4]

Indigenous Identity Context

Nations / Communities

Metis

Affiliation Type

creator

Pan-Indigenous

Yes

The creator (cedar-maw) is of Metis heritage, as indicated by their study of Michif (the traditional Metis language) and the inclusion of the Metis Infinity symbol on the flag. The flag itself is tagged for First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and Native American communities, making it pan-Indigenous in intent. The creator stated: "This flag is for Natives only." ^{[1][3] [1][3]}

Human Interest

Reconnecting through a flag

cedar-maw was 22 years old when they posted the Indigiqueer flag, a person whose Tumblr bio reads 'White' and 'Reconnecting,' studying Michif (the traditional Métis language), and writing about Indigenous topics from the position of someone actively rebuilding a relationship with their heritage. In the Métis community, being white-passing or mixed-heritage while reconnecting with Indigenous identity is a common and specific experience, the Métis are by definition a people born from the meeting of two cultures. The flag came from a specific frustration: every Indigenous pride flag they could find was specifically for Two-Spirit people, and not every Indigenous Queer person identifies with the Two-Spirit framework. So they made one themselves, layering the Métis Infinity symbol over the Progress Pride Flag, and posted it with the note: 'It's not perfect but I'm humble.' Then they added a boundary: 'This flag is for Natives only.' The post gathered 611+ notes, modest by viral standards, but significant for a flag that names a community (Indigiqueer) most people outside Indigenous circles have never heard of. The flag was made by a 22-year-old Métis person in the process of reconnecting with their heritage and learning Michif, for a community (Indigiqueer) that at the time had no documented pride flag of its own. ^[1][3]

Dates & Chronology

Year Created

2021

Exact date

September 9, 2021

First public use

September 9, 2021

Period in Use

2021–present

The original Tumblr post accumulated 611+ notes. It was reblogged by pride flag archive blogs including Beyond MOGAI Pride Flags (February 11, 2024, via indigarchive) and lgbtqa-pride-icons (via radiomogai). The flag also appears in LGBTQIA+ Wiki documentation of Indigiqueer identity. Its adoption remains primarily within Tumblr's pride flag community and wiki-based flag archives. ^[1][4]

Earlier Indigenous pride flags (the 2005, 2016, and 2021 Two-Spirit flags) center Two-Spirit identity specifically. This flag instead uses the Indigiqueer framework, a term coined by TJ Cuthand in 2004 and popularized by Joshua Whitehead, which extends to Indigenous Queer people whose identity is not specifically Two-Spirit. The boundaries of the Two-Spirit label are an active community conversation. ^[2]

Lineage

Direct predecessors

Progress Pride Flag

Indirect influences

Two-Spirit Pride Flag (2Sanon)

Related flags

Two-Spirit Nonbinary Pride Flag (2Sanon), Two-Spirit Pride Flag (2005, Zoccole), Two-Spirit Pride Flag (2021, sirieko), Two-Spirit Pride Flag (Patrick Hunter)

Sibling flags

Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag, Utopian Pride Flag #6 (2040 Progress Flag)

Not a direct descendant of any Two-Spirit flag but closely related to the Two-Spirit flag family. Where Two-Spirit flags represent a specific set of culturally recognized roles, the Indigiqueer flag represents a broader, more contemporary framework for Indigenous Queerness. The flag addresses the same community need (visible Indigenous Queer identity) using a different conceptual frame. ^[1][2]

Lineage tree

Every record reachable from this one through documented parent and child relationships: 7 records across 6 generations.

Ancestors -5

Original Rainbow Flag (1978)

Ancestors -4

Seven-Stripe Rainbow Flag (1978)

Ancestors -3

Rainbow Pride Flag

Ancestors -2

Transgender Pride Flag, Philadelphia Pride Flag

Ancestor

Progress Pride Flag

This record

Indigiqueer Pride Flag (cedar-maw)

Colors & Symbolism

The flag uses the Progress Pride Flag as its base and overlays it with a medicine wheel in the four sacred colors (black, white, red, yellow), placing the design within an Indigenous visual framework. In the Métis variant, the Métis Infinity symbol is placed within the black quadrant, anchoring the flag to a specific Nation. The Progress Pride base already incorporates trans and POC representation, so the layered design combines those reference points with the medicine-wheel motif. The creator's statement that the flag is 'for Natives only' reinforces that Indigiqueer identity, and its symbols, belong to Indigenous communities. ^[1]

This flag has no official digital palette. Color values shown are approximate.

Medicine wheel (four quadrants: black, white, red, yellow)

A large circle divided into four quadrants in the four sacred colors, black (west), white (north), red (south), and yellow (east). The medicine wheel is a pan-Indigenous symbol representing balance, the four directions, the four seasons, and the interconnectedness of all life. Its placement at the center of the Indigiqueer flag grounds the design in Indigenous cosmology and spiritual tradition. ^[1]

Métis Infinity (∞) symbol (variant version)

A central symbol of Métis cultural identity. The figure-eight or infinity shape represents the joining of two cultures (Indigenous and European) and the infinite existence of the Métis people. On the traditional Métis flag (historically a blue or red field with a white infinity), it symbolizes the unity of two distinct cultures into a distinct Nation. On this flag, it grounds the Indigiqueer concept in a specific Métis cultural tradition. ^[1][5]

Progress Pride chevron (black, brown, light blue, pink, white)

Inherited from Daniel Quasar's 2018 Progress Pride Flag. The chevron represents trans identity (light blue, pink, white) and communities of color (brown, black), layered onto the flag to emphasize inclusivity within the broader Queer community.

The medicine wheel's four-color quadrant symbolism was not explicitly documented by the creator, but the four sacred colors (black, white, red, yellow) are widely recognized across many Indigenous Nations as representing the four directions, seasons, and stages of life. The base is the Progress Pride Flag (Daniel Quasar, 2018), so its colors carry their established meanings.

The flag uses the Daniel Quasar Progress Pride Flag as its base. Colors are approximated from standard Progress Pride Flag values. The medicine wheel uses the four sacred colors (black, white, red, yellow), the black and white match the chevron colors, while the red and yellow appear to match their respective rainbow stripes. No official palette was published by the creator.

Design

Aspect Ratio

3:5 · standard

Orientation

horizontal

Stripe Count

6

Layout

Progress Pride Flag base with chevron and overlaid Indigenous symbols

Stripes (Top → Bottom)

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet

Center Symbol

Medicine wheel, large circle divided into four quadrants (black, white, red, yellow)

Additional Symbols

Progress Pride chevron on left (black, brown, light blue, pink, white), Métis Infinity (∞) symbol in the black quadrant (variant version)

Uses the Daniel Quasar Progress Pride Flag as the base, with six horizontal rainbow stripes and the characteristic left-side chevron containing black, brown, light blue, pink, and white. A large medicine wheel circle is overlaid prominently on the flag field, divided into four quadrants: black (upper left), white (upper right), red (lower left), and yellow (lower right). The Métis version adds a white Métis Infinity (∞) symbol within the black quadrant.

Two versions were posted: (1) the base version with the Progress Pride Flag and medicine wheel, and (2) the Métis variant with the Infinity symbol added in the black quadrant. Both use the same base design. The original post showed the flags side by side. ^[1]

The Daniel Quasar Progress Pride Flag serves as the base: six horizontal rainbow stripes (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet) with a left-side chevron containing black, brown, light blue, pink, and white. A large medicine wheel is overlaid at center, divided into four quadrants in the four sacred colors, black (upper left), white (upper right), red (lower left), and yellow (lower right). The Métis variant adds a white Métis Infinity (horizontal figure-eight) symbol within the black quadrant of the medicine wheel. The two versions were posted together on September 9, 2021.

Usage & Adoption

Online Usage

Tumblr (611+ notes on original post), Reblogged by Beyond MOGAI Pride Flags, lgbtqa-pride-icons, cultural-mogai, pridelibrary, and other pride flag archive blogs

Current Status

active

Circulation has been primarily within Tumblr's pride flag community and wiki-based flag archives. The flag has not achieved widespread commercial reproduction or institutional adoption. ^[1][4]

Image Archive

Metis variant of the original Indigiqueer flag

Discourse & Debates

• Indigenous pride flags are underrepresented in mainstream pride flag databases. Of the major English-language flag reference sources, only the LGBTQIA+ Wiki and Flags of the World (FOTW) include Indigenous flag entries, and typically only one design, without context for the broader lineage of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer flags. This gap is notable given that Two-Spirit flags have existed since at least 2005, predating many flags that are routinely cataloged, suggesting that archival omission reflects curatorial blind spots rather than a lack of material.
• The relationship between Indigiqueer and Two-Spirit identity, whether Indigiqueer is a complement, alternative, or expansion of Two-Spirit. TJ Cuthand, who coined 'Indigiqueer,' noted that some Indigenous LGBTQ people don't feel comfortable with 'Two-Spirit' because it implies a dual-gender framework. ^[2]
• Whether non-Indigenous Queer people should use or display Indigiqueer symbols. The creator explicitly stated 'This flag is for Natives only.' ^[1]
• The use of the Métis-specific Infinity symbol in a pan-Indigenous flag, whether this centers Métis identity in a way that may not speak to First Nations or Inuit Queer people equally

Common misidentifications

• May be confused with Two-Spirit flags, though Indigiqueer and Two-Spirit are distinct (though overlapping) concepts

Common confusions

• Indigiqueer vs Two-Spirit: Two-Spirit requires a culturally specific gender/social role recognized by one's Indigenous community; Indigiqueer is a broader term for being Queer in Indigenous ways, not requiring a specific ceremonial role ^[2]

Indigiqueer (originally spelled 'indigequeer') was coined by TJ Cuthand (Plains Cree) for the title of the 2004 Vancouver Queer Film Festival's Indigenous/Two-Spirit Program. The term was later popularized by Oji-nêhiyaw (Oji-Cree) author Joshua Whitehead from Peguis First Nation, notably in his poetry collection 'full-metal indigiqueer' (2017, Talonbooks), his novel 'Jonny Appleseed' (2018, Arsenal Pulp Press), and the anthology he edited, 'Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction' (2020). Whitehead credits Chelsea Bala and Leanne Simpson for helping spread the term. Unlike Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer does not require a specific culturally recognized gender role, it is a general term for being Queer in an Indigenous way. ^[2]

Footnotes & Citations

Image Sources

Rendering

indigiqueer-2021-cedar-maw

• The Metis variant of the Indigiqueer flag posted by cedar-maw on September 9, 2021. The Metis Infinity symbol grounds the design in a specific Nation while the broader Progress Pride base and medicine wheel speak to pan-Indigenous Queer experience. · Credit: cedar-maw · cedar-maw original Tumblr post