feathers or hair plume everyday wear?

[almondeyez81]

Can they be worn only for special occasion, or
everyday wear?what feather or plume am I allowed to wear? and where can i purchase them,and how can i make them?thanks

[crazywolf]

Why not? Our ancestors used to wear feathers all the time, unless I need to be a little more educated.

Anyway if you need to ask where to buy them, its best to just stick to the turkey variety, and you can get those just about anywhere, pow wows, Crazy Crow, ebay, and on and on.

Derek

[Blackbear]

It is illegal to buy, sell, trade or barter the real eagle feathers. If you are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe then you need to talk to fish and game about an application for an eagle feather permit. If you are caught with the real thing without a permit the fines are extremely hefty and there's jail time too.

I don't exactly agree with crazywolf though. I don't feel plumes are to be worn just everyday with any old clothes and some would say the same about an eagle feather.

[almondeyez81]

I already know that it is illegal to buy or sell eagle feathers.I was never given the chance to recieve real plumes, and I wanted to make my own to wear in my hair and needed to know what feathers can I use to adnorn my hair with.

[Blackbear]

I already know that it is illegal to buy or sell eagle feathers.I was never given the chance to recieve real plumes, and I wanted to make my own to wear in my hair and needed to know what feathers can I use to adnorn my hair with.

Ok so let's try to put it in a way that I'm trying to convey... Would you wear a jewel encrusted crown with a tshirt and jeans? LOL... Ok I know I would, but I'm wierd...

so anyhow, take a look around. At powwows and everyday life. Who do you see just wearing plumes in their hair without being dressed for a powwow, social or ceremony? The only one's I've seen have been the wannabes. Feathers just are'nt a fashion statement. If you need the world to know visually you're native, then get a native pride shirt or ballcap.

[crazywolf]

Ok so let's try to put it in a way that I'm trying to convey... Would you wear a jewel encrusted crown with a tshirt and jeans? LOL... Ok I know I would, but I'm wierd...

so anyhow, take a look around. At powwows and everyday life. Who do you see just wearing plumes in their hair without being dressed for a powwow, social or ceremony? The only one's I've seen have been the wannabes. Feathers just are'nt a fashion statement. If you need the world to know visually you're native, then get a native pride shirt or ballcap.

I do stand corrected, but...

I have seen vets wear a feather or plume on their cap, and not just at pow wows either.

[Blackbear]

I do stand corrected, but...

I have seen vets wear a feather or plume on their cap, and not just at pow wows either.

Think about it crazy... you're talking about vets. They earned that right.

[WocusWoman]

Not many people wear a feather or fluff in their hair or hat; but I've seen them. Nobody blinks an eyelash at a native, who is obviously native that wears a feather or fluff in their hair, hat or ears. The people who I know that often wear them, here in Alaska, and out in the Northwest do so on a regular basis; not a fashion statement or such, it's just who they are and it looks RIGHT on them. I will admit, I do look twice at a white looking person who tries to do the same thing, and I snicker to myself, or roll my eyes up a little. It's a valid question; but I would suggest to think it over well before doing it, not everyone is going to be able to pull it off.

[crazywolf]

[QUOTE=Blackbear]Think about it crazy... you're talking about vets. They earned that right.[/QUOTE

*nods*

Also, whenever I see someone wearing plumes, that has a light complexion, it just says new age, even if they are wearing regalia. I do not see to many women up north wearing plumes, unless they are associated with a feather, perhaps a small tail feather, and worn upright in the hair. I hardly ever have seen a woman wearing a feather down, except maybe fancy shawl.

Derek

[Blackbear]

Yeah I probably get those same looks at powwows because of my fair complexion, but I'm half and just did'nt get the luck of the DNA draw LOL!

I don't know... I just would'nt wear my sunday best to go garage saleing .. you know what I mean? With something like a feather, I don't want to be wearing it where it can potentially be damaged. When I was a kid my mother would put feathers in my hair and the kids would always try to pull them out. I don't like the idea of my feathers being around people who readily will disrespect them.

[Eagle Plumes]

As for me I dont wear hair feathers for everday wear, If I want to dress up I pull out one of my nice beaded barretts, and maybe a necklace. I keep my feathers in their box until its time to pow-wow.

[crazywolf]

Yeah I probably get those same looks at powwows because of my fair complexion, but I'm half and just did'nt get the luck of the DNA draw LOL!

I don't know... I just would'nt wear my sunday best to go garage saleing .. you know what I mean? With something like a feather, I don't want to be wearing it where it can potentially be damaged. When I was a kid my mother would put feathers in my hair and the kids would always try to pull them out. I don't like the idea of my feathers being around people who readily will disrespect them.

Would love to see someone pull on my feathers, they would pull backa nub

lol

[Lakota Wiyan]

I think that if you really want to do it right, wearing feathers regardless of where you wear them, you want to do it right, not just DO IT for a fashion statement. WHEN you earn them and receive them in the correct way, you will be educated on how to care for them and how to wear them in an honorable way. You don't want to just toss on any feather you find on the sidewalk, or go around and buy really fake looking dyed or painted feathers, because that just REEKS of fakey and disrespectful mockery......so you want to be careful, and while powwows.com is a good place to learn things, this really isn't the place to recieve knowledge that an elder should sit face to face with you and teach you....thats their role and we should all respect that.

Unless of course you really DO want to look fakey and ridiculous, in that case, throw on that broomstick skirt and Pleather vest with all the fringe, and the rows and rows of plastic Walmart beads strung up around the neck with EVERY SINGLE PIECE of real or fake turqoise jewelry you can find. Don't forget to dye your hair an eerie flat black color, and wear your lace up Tatanka brand moccasisn OR your black strap sandals with the fake native design on the straps..with or without socks!! THEN you have earned the right to stick pidgeon and turkey feathers randomly into your hair!

[scorpiostwin11_76]

I think that if you really want to do it right, wearing feathers regardless of where you wear them, you want to do it right, not just DO IT for a fashion statement. WHEN you earn them and receive them in the correct way, you will be educated on how to care for them and how to wear them in an honorable way. You don't want to just toss on any feather you find on the sidewalk, or go around and buy really fake looking dyed or painted feathers, because that just REEKS of fakey and disrespectful mockery......so you want to be careful, and while powwows.com is a good place to learn things, this really isn't the place to recieve knowledge that an elder should sit face to face with you and teach you....thats their role and we should all respect that.

Unless of course you really DO want to look fakey and ridiculous, in that case, throw on that broomstick skirt and Pleather vest with all the fringe, and the rows and rows of plastic Walmart beads strung up around the neck with EVERY SINGLE PIECE of real or fake turqoise jewelry you can find. Don't forget to dye your hair an eerie flat black color, and wear your lace up Tatanka brand moccasisn OR your black strap sandals with the fake native design on the straps..with or without socks!! THEN you have earned the right to stick pidgeon and turkey feathers randomly into your hair!

I agree with the respects that go along with earning your eagle feather. I don't see why anyone would wear them with every day attire. I know that different tribes have different protocol in recieving an eagle feather (straight or plume). It all has a course of teachings that come along with growing up with elders who respect traditions. You can't just wake up one day and say "Hey! I want to wear an eagle feather." In one of the first couple posts someone mentioned, our ancestors whore them back in the day. TRUE, but not entirely. Eagle feathers and other types of traditional attire had a specific meaning with in the tribe. Our ancestors didn't wake up one day and said "Oh, I think I'll wear my eagle feather today."

So before you try to go out and get your own eagle feather just remember that there are actual traditions, respects, and teachings that go with that privilage.

OR... If you don't respect those teachings, then GO AHEAD AND BE FAKE.

[Nipkie]

Words of wisdom have been posted But I think the most imporant one psoted was when they talked about going to the elders and also want to point out we as men are NOT TO TELL A WOMAN WHAT TO DO so on that note you need to speak to your elder of the tribe you belong too that is a woman if your a woman or if you are guy you should speak to a man.... Also don't keep going to other people until you get the awnser your looking for aceppt the frist anwser.