Still under construction as of 11 June, 2000

There is no actual separate Muskogee word for color. One queres color by asking about "its appearance" or "its looks" using the noun "enheckv" her, his or its appearance, looks.

SACRED COLORS

Catë red

Lanë yellow

Lvstë black

Hvtkë white

These four are the traditional medicine colors always given in this order in the East.

Muskogee speakers divide the color spectrum in a manner that differs from English and most European languages. Additionally, the use of a prefix or infix can alter, enlarge or shade the meaning of a color word. Color words may also serve as appropriate verbs with the addition of type II verb endings. Color descriptions are not nearly as important in Mvskokë as they are in English. Nor, as you will see, are they as specific in all cases. As in many other areas, even with its rigid word order (SOV), Creek is more flexible than English in how it states many concepts, ideas, situations or things. By the way, you may notice that color words and meaning do vary from community to community. Now, let's move forward ...

 

Some General Color Words

Catë red

Cate-omë pink, or any color nearly red on the lighter side, a light purple, lavender

Okcatë reddish, dark red, redwood color, sorrel, off-red in color, purple tinted more toward

Holattë blue

Hvtkë white

Hvthvkë plural of Hvtkë

Okhvtkë very light gray, off-white, somewhat white, ivory color

Hvtwë pale, faded, lightened in color

Hvthvwë plural of Hvtwë

Hvtusë a pale green

Lanë yellow,

Hvssë-lanë, Hvs'lanë yellow like the sun

Lanë green ... But wait --didn't we have that above for yellow? Yes we did; means both.

Pvhë-lanë, Pvh'lanë, Pvhelanomë green like grass, not sun yellow

Oklanë brown, muddy color, off-yellow or off-green in color

Lvstë black

Oklvstë a dark gray, nearly black

Okholattë off-blue, a purple color tinted more toward blue than red

Sopak-hvtkë, Svpak-hvtkë, a pure gray color

Pvrk-omë, Porkomv like the color of a grape, (Pvrko grape)

Yvlahomv, Yvlah-omë as the color of an orange (Yvlahv an orange)

 

These "words in color" may not appear correctly in all browsers

Catë , Cate-omë, Okcatë, Holattë, Hvtkë, Okhvtkë,

Hvssë-lanë, Hvs'lanë Lanë, Lanë, Pvhë-lanë, Pvh'lanë, Pvhelanomë

Lvstë, Oklvstë, Okholattë, Sopak-hvtkë, Svpak-hvtkë

Pvrk-omë, Porkomv, Yvlahomv, Yvlah-omë

more to come ...