Swastika - Good luck emblem of ancient america
In one of my earlier articles, we saw many american swastika greeting cards but nowhere it was mentioned that swastika was a good luck symbol. So, the visitiors may be thinking that swastika was used as a decorative symbol in greeting cards than a good luck symbol. So, in this article, we will see various greeting card where swastika has been explicity mentiioned as the good luck symbol.
Good luck swastika of Apache indians Below is the first one of apache indians who not noly mention swastika as a good luck symbol but also explicity describes its origin and history in american culture. They claim it to be the oldest emblem of good luck as I have been saying repeatedly in my earlier articles.
Good luck swastika
On namah shivaye-Apache indian
Native american photo with Good luck swastika
Next is the 1909 postcard from southwest circa which shows a Native American photo claiming that Indian (Native Americans) believes swastika as a good luck symbol. There is a big golden swastika in the middle with the message to be energetic and hardworking
Swastika, cultural symbol of Indians
Good luck symbol of indians
Below is the 1910 black and white postcard where you can see nothing but swastika with the message of wishing good luck in the Indian way. I think this greeting postcard is alone sufficient to prove swastika as the good luck symbol for the Native Americans. Americans are still reluctant to accept swastika as their ancestor’s symbol. Hope, slowly and gradually, they will realize their roots and respects the cultural symbol of their forefather.
1910 Native American greeting card
Swastika good luck postcard
Below is another Indian card which says swastika as the ancient cross of fortune and good luck. A small poetic quote in this greeting card explicitly mentions swastika (Ancient cross) and four leaf clover to be the symbol of good luck, blessings and fortune by showing a nice golden clockwise swastika on top of a light green four clover leaf. 
Early 20th century Good Luck postcard
Good luck Swastika postcard with a beautiful lady
In the above greeting card, swastika was not mentioned directly; instead the word ancient cross was used. In the below greeting card, you can a beautiful young lady in a red dress quoting swastika as a good luck symbol. There is a big greenish clockwise swastika with small anticlockwise swastika at each end of the big swastika.
Image courtesy: CardCow.com
Swastika-The good luck emblem
Swastika was associated with kind thoughts in American culture. It was a trademark of several American companies, ports and athletic teams. Below you can see one more greeting card where the Native Americans proudly declares swastika as their good luck emblem. Along with the good luck wishes, this greeting card states swastika as the world oldest and recognized talisman of good luck
1910 good luck emblem postcard
Swastika birthday wishes in greeting card
Next is the swastika birthday greeting card. This postcard shows a pretty good lady in a green gown surrounded by beautiful golden anticlockwise swastika. It also has the message of swastika as a good luck sign and birthday wishes in fancy letters
1910 Postcard created by H.B. Griggs
Swastika-The symbol of gratitude
Next shows the banner showing Native American husband and wife with rounded beautiful hats quoting swastika to be the sign of gratitude. This banner was used as the greeting card from someone named Powell, as you can see in the signature below.
Swastika-The symbol of gratitude
Swastika-The symbol of success and happiness
The Swastika Cross is the oldest good luck symbol of the world. Below greeting card quotes swastika as the symbol of success, hope and happiness. On the right is the golden swastika with embossed beautiful leaves and at the bottom is the short history of swastika symbol. I guess this greeting card was created by Native American during world war to encounter the evil portrayal of this symbol by german Nazi party.
Swastika-The symbol of success and happiness
Swastika-The symbol of success and happiness
Next is the Greeting card that extends the meaning of swastika as the symbol of good luck and prosperity, exactly as mentioned in Indian scriptures. On the bottom left side and top right side, there are two interconnected horseshoe which is again a good luck symbol. In Indian houses, you will often see such horse shoe hanging on doors or windows.
1910 Greeting card. Image courtesy: cardcow.com
Swastika good luck postcard
Next is the 1907 postcard, copyrighted by E. Phillips, a U.S. card publisher. This publishers talks about the universally high regard of swastika as the ancient good luck symbol before the Nazis corrupted its meaning. This published card mentions swastika as the symbol of 4 L’s - luck, love, life and light. There is a big swastika at the centre with four mall swastika at each end of the card. Again you can see a horseshoe at the top, another India symbol of good luck.
Swastika good luck postcard
Swastika good luck greeting card
In below greeting card meant to address luck to the receiver, we can see different types of lucky symbol with the message “Here’s all the luck in the world for you”. First cat has a horse shoe on neck, I didn’t find anything in second cat, third cat has the good luck symbol swastika and fourth one some form of horseshoe I m not aware of.
1910 good luck greeting card
Swastika good luck greeting card
Some people believe swastika should be forbidden because it is offensive to Jews. There are any Jews in India and they are quite comfortable with swastika and respect the sentiments and belief of Indians. In fact, India ranked among the topmost countries in Jewish population, all of which migrated to Israel after the creation of a separate state in 1948. You can see use of swastika in leftover Indian Jewish houses. Since swastika was also the religious symbol of ancient Jews, They honor the religious iconography of Hindus, Buddhist and jains. Below Greeting card shows the use of swastika by apache Indians in Christmas greeting cards. As it is said in this greeting card, apache Indians were very proud of their American heritage.
Swastika merry Christmas and good luck
Swastika good luck in american army greeting card
Even the American army considered swastika as the good luck symbol. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the 45th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, used swastika as their infantry symbol. Swastika found a place in their emblem too. Their emblem quoted "May this good luck emblem protect you well from every bullet, every shell".
45th Infantry postcard from the 1920s
A pleasant greeting card wih swastika good luck symbol
Last but not the least, a very pleasant greeting card with an attractive scenic background. On the right side is a small sonnet which wishes the receiver by referring to the natural beauty of the greeting card. First lines extol the mountain whereas second line praises the blue sky. Referring to red clockwise swastika, remaining lines greets good luck and best wishes to the receiver of this card.
Image coutesy: CardCow.com
Conclusion
This article is intended to reclaim the lost significance and importance of humanity earliest symbol ‘Swastika’. Swastika is derived from the Sanskrit word “svastika”- "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix. Swastika signifies the symbol of good luck, prosperity, peace and fortune. After its association with German Nazi party, this ancient symbol has faced a sad transition from a good luck symbol to symbol of evil and adversity. Swastika is still widely used as a good luck symbol in Asian countries like India, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia etc. This symbol has a great spiritual meaning and significance in Hinduism and its derived religions like Buddhism and Jainism.
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