Otter Drag

[_wuliechsin_]

I was wondering, where did the otter drag come from? I mean why do we wear one? I was told we wear one in rememberence of the Cheyenne Dog Soliders. Because when they fought, they wore a piece of leather strip. When in battle they would lance the strip of leather in the ground and that was a warning to the enemey that they where going to fight to the death. Is that right? Or was I told wrong? Or is their a different meaning? All comments would be welcomed and much appericated. Thank you in advanced.

[wa-zha-zhe]

I was wondering, where did the otter drag come from? I mean why do we wear one? I was told we wear one in rememberence of the Cheyenne Dog Soliders. Because when they fought, they wore a piece of leather strip. When in battle they would lance the strip of leather in the ground and that was a warning to the enemey that they where going to fight to the death. Is that right? Or was I told wrong? Or is their a different meaning? All comments would be welcomed and much appericated. Thank you in advanced.

I am sure that if that is what they told you,that it is true.
When they put the otter hide on me to wear, I was told,
that we wear it because we admire the movements that
the otter makes when he is swimming.

[thestogs]

I've heard and read that the otter drop evolved from the otter hair and bear claw necklaces that were once worn by society members. Those necklaces had an otter tail that extended down the back slightly when worn.

[Historian]

My understanding also is that the Otter Dragger is an evolution of the Otter Tail which was once a part of the Grizzly Bear Claw necklaces, as you can see from the photos below...

Black Dog – Osage – 1876


Good Chief - Pawnee - no date


Eagle Chief - Pawnee - 1905


Bear-Claw Necklace with Otter Tail attached - Mesquakie - 1860 (Courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian)

[CHEROSAGE]

these are some great pictures. any more?

[thestogs]

Bob:

Try the American Museum of Natural History website. Search the archive collection for bear claw necklace, otter or just necklace and you will get plenty of images to wade through.

[WhoMe]

I was wondering, where did the otter drag come from? I mean why do we wear one? I was told we wear one in rememberence of the Cheyenne Dog Soliders. Because when they fought, they wore a piece of leather strip. When in battle they would lance the strip of leather in the ground and that was a warning to the enemey that they where going to fight to the death. Is that right? Or was I told wrong? Or is their a different meaning? All comments would be welcomed and much appericated. Thank you in advanced.

wulie,

I believe what you were told is not correct. The Cheyenne and prairie tribes (Ponca, Omaha, Pawnee etc.) were enemies.

Those tribes that practiced staking themselves to the ground did so with a long ceremonial sash either suspended to their shoulder across to their opposite waist or around their waist.

The explanation that thestogs has shared is more in line with the truth.