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i was taught that the use of rattle snake skins was has taboo as using owl feather is this right, when to a dance and there was dancer in full leathers with skin running down the leggings
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I am not aware of any tribal tradition involving the use of rattlesnake skins worn as decoration on hide leggings.Originally posted by rodond View Post
"Be good, be kind, help each other."
"Respect the ground, respect the drum, respect each other."
--Abe Conklin, Ponca/Osage (1926-1995) -
In all my years of studying Indian Materials and Straight Dancing Have I EVER seen snakes of any kind used in the leggings, shirts, or what ever. This must be a new contempory tradition. Snake skins are also fragil with using just the skin unless mounted to a harder strip and then applied. That is why they make great belts and hat bands.Comment
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Originally posted by rodond View Post
rodond,
In prehistoric times individuals wore many different articles of clothing not seen in historic times and the present.
I think the use of owl feathers has been talked about on several threads.
The Helushka is the origin of many dances seen in today's powwows including the grass dance, straight dance and fancy dance.
The original crow belts (bustles) of historic Helushka leaders included owl feathers.
Go figure?Powwows will continue to evolve in many directions. It is inevitable.Comment
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I saw a guy once with a snake skin mounted on some cloth in place of his otter. I don't know where that 'tradition' came from since I have never seen it since.
I have seen rattles from rattle snakes attached to roach feathers on reputable men...
As for snakes in general, I just know that some of my family folks have taboos and can't come in contact with any snakes. Has to do with the clans I think. In a different part of the family, my aunt is scared to death of snakes! Rattle snake legging strips sound different to me but I have not experienced a lot.Comment
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The subject of Owls has been discussed over and over on this site. It is Taboo for some but not for all. The same goes for use of snake skins.
As for use of Rattlesnake Skins - that is far from new.
If you do some research you will find that the journal writtings and paintings of both Catlin and Bodmer and others metioned and show the use of Rattlesnake Skins on various items including but not limited to: bows, leggings, pipe stems, staffs, and more.
Remember - Native American is vast and what is a use of an item in one cultural area or Tribe is the not the same for another.Comment
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In the earliest versions of the Hethuska dance ceremony, some dancers among the Omaha-Ponca were entitled to wear a feathered bustle called the Kaxe’ or “Crow.” These were worn in place of the otter trailer. A description of the early form of this component can be seen in the work titled Hae-thu-ska...03-07-2009, 11:56 AM -
Tail dance sticks weren't originally for everyone. In days past, they were carried by men designated as "tail dancers and former tail dancers." It was a part of their designated position within their tribal "Man Dance Ceremonials."
Today, it seems most straight dancer's...12-16-2005, 03:16 PM -
Fom "The Ojibwa Dance Drum; Its History and Construction" by Thomas Vennum Jr. - read with a grain of salt, as you always should when academics present ANY culture.
"The Precursory Role of the Grass Dance
There is general agreement among students of Indian history that...03-02-2009, 02:10 PM -
Recently, I was asked if there was a specific reason for having three design element sections on a Straight Dancer's dance trailer.
I do not know if there is a specific reason for the designs used on dance trailers, so I thought I would toss it out to the forum for input.
...01-15-2007, 11:58 AM -
At many of today’s northern and southern plains pow-wows and ceremonial dances the male dancer with the title of Whipman plays an important role with a long tradition.
In the northern plains, the Whipman is usually an exceptional dancer appointed to encourage dancers to get up and...02-28-2009, 01:45 PM
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