Project Ideas from Native American Culture Festival (lots of pics)

**your_comforting_company** · 04-25-2010, 10:26 AM

I have a lot of pictures from the Festival a week ago. After much musing and meditation over the past week, since the festival, I decided I'd share some pictures for project ideas.

Tree bark "tent"
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Wahintke hide scraper for braintanning (I'd like to see crash make one of these), Flint knife and buckskin sheath, and atlatl handle.
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Atlatl handle and changable spear tip (broken)
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Mr. Diamond Brown, a very knowledgable Muscogulgi descendant
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He was quick to tell me that "Little Brother of War" was not a "game"
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Forgive my audacity here.. I was quite disappointed:
A bamboo / River cane / store-bought hut. Not impressive at all considering the plastic "dew cloth" and fake-a$$ "bamboo curtains" used for thatching. These guys were a bunch of posers and I have more primitive knowledge and ingenutity, as well as talent, in my little finger.. I'm a little bitter that these guys had a display set up from some fake crap, and I got pushed to the side for another year. But that's okay.. I had more opportunity to learn this way...
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Dressed in their polluting Commercial Buckskin that was obviously fake in color and texture and actually felt quite heavy, and oily to the touch. I asked what they smoked it with, while dressed in my own braintan buckskin, they obviously felt a bit of humility when they were forced to admit (because they couldn't tell me what wood gave them the color) That it was fake.
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Enough about that... most folks there were genuine.

Tools used at the braintanning tent
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and a beautiful buckskin dress made by a dainty little lady.
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Handmade pottery open fired and used for cooking. Full of wild edibles and some cultivated corn and a few other things from their "community garden" dried and stored for display. This was Mr. Jack Boedecker's display and we spent quite a lot of time talking about cultural aspects and history of his people. He spoke many Creek words to me, some of which I understood because of research I've done, other words only because of his hand gestures and body language.
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and his clan flag on braintan, hand painted with earth mineral pigments. Buzzards was the main theme.. can you spot them all?
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and the way people used to fish...
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If there are any questions about any of the pieces you see I'll do my best to answer. I asked lots of questions and have been studying the pics all week, remembering and meditating as much as possible on the articles, tools, and art. These things were a way of life of the people who lived where my house now stands. To hear words spoken in the native tongue of people who lived right here, yet it was so foreign to my ears.. a conundrum, if you will..
Overall the experience was very enlightening and humbling. I spent a great afternoon with as many of these people as possible and did a lot of listening to what they had to say.

Thanks for looking, and I hope these pictures inspire some of you to take up some of these projects and own the skills.

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 04-25-2010, 10:37 AM

Man that is some awesome stuff YCC!! I'm kinda' jealous to tell the truth!

**Justin Case** · 04-25-2010, 10:38 AM

Very cool Ycc,, Why do they save the animal skulls ?

**Rick** · 04-25-2010, 10:38 AM

Thanks for posting. Some really great stuff there. I would bet that those folks who spent time and energy making tools and clothing the true way were just as put out at the posers as you were. Hopefully, the fakers will be weeded out with time as the organizers receive complaints from the real folks and try to fill their venue with true, traditional methods.

The thing that really stands out in the pics is patience. When "living" is a way of life, you spend time on tools of importance.

Great post and great comments!!

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 04-25-2010, 10:43 AM

He is quite correct about the "Little Brother of War" it is NOT a game. Although many watching it would think so. This is the precursor to Lacrosse. It is quite violent when "Played" by Native Americans. I have had friends who told me about this activity "Played" on the "Rez". Bloody noses, and assorted injuries occur every time. You do try and "Score" on the other "Team", but that is as close to a game as it comes.

**welderguy** · 04-25-2010, 11:52 AM

Awsome pictures, thanks for sharing.
Now is there a close up of the large knife in the first picture by the basket ? I would love to see the detail of that blade.

**Winnie** · 04-25-2010, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by pocomoonskyeyes

He is quite correct about the "Little Brother of War" it is NOT a game. Although many watching it would think so. This is the precursor to Lacrosse. It is quite violent when "Played" by Native Americans. I have had friends who told me about this activity "Played" on the "Rez". Bloody noses, and assorted injuries occur every time. You do try and "Score" on the other "Team", but that is as close to a game as it comes.

Oh believe you me Poco, Lacrosse is no less gentle. Particularly when played by teams of teenage girls with a grudge! I've had broken fingers, been knocked out and had numerous black eyes! Those were the days

**Winnie** · 04-25-2010, 12:50 PM

The pictures are terrific, YCC. Is there any chance of describing the fishing stuff for me? What is the line and hooks made of?

**justin_baker** · 04-25-2010, 02:55 PM

Its great to see native americans carrying on the lifestyles and traditions of their ancestors instead of getting drunk and living off of wellfare.

**Rick** · 04-25-2010, 03:09 PM

Here. Read through these.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihmbioaz.html

**gryffynklm** · 04-25-2010, 03:27 PM

Rick,

Ycc, great pics. One day wouldn't be enough time to talk to every one.

**crashdive123** · 04-25-2010, 04:33 PM

Fantastic pictures and explanations. The intricacies and detail of the tools and finished products are incredible. I often think about the time we spend making a living, and then think about those that came before us and the time they spent so that they could live. Great stuff YCC.

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 04-25-2010, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by justin_baker

Its great to see native americans carrying on the lifestyles and traditions of their ancestors instead of getting drunk and living off of wellfare.

That is a bad stereotype!!!

Originally Posted by Rick

Here. Read through these.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihmbioaz.html

Very Good link Rick!!

**your_comforting_company** · 04-25-2010, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by Justin Case

Very cool Ycc,, Why do they save the animal skulls ?

Mostly for decoration. Many of the regalia headpieces would include animal skulls placed back inside the tanned fur. Coyotes, foxes, badgers, and beavers, and especially turtles and snakes were highly regarded among their religious ties with the earth. Many of their clan names were associated with these animals. I would say they were used for "stuffing" for the masks of the animals when used that way. you'll notice some of the pics have legs preserved as well. Such things were believed to hold "swiftness" or "surefootedness"

Originally Posted by welderguy

Awsome pictures, thanks for sharing.
Now is there a close up of the large knife in the first picture by the basket ? I would love to see the detail of that blade.

I'm sorry. I didn't ask him to unsheath the knife. I was almost afraid to interrupt him to ask about Little Brother, but I had to know

Originally Posted by Winnie

The pictures are terrific, YCC. Is there any chance of describing the fishing stuff for me? What is the line and hooks made of?

The hooks are bones worked down with sandstones and cobbles, grinding and abrading. Some were leg bones, some small animal jaws and ribs.. all sorts of bones can be used. The lines were yucca strings, and some were actually Spanish Moss. Mr Boedecker told me about the traditional way of processing the moss to make it stronger and even let me try to tear some of his rope. Like most things, it was probably discovered by accident, that the moss that had been wetted and rotted was somehow stronger than the living moss. After soaking (the word he used was retting and also shared the Muscogee word with me) it is put to dry until it turns black and then you twist it as you would wool.
I believe he told me one was horse hair. a small one was sinew. Neither of those had handles.

Originally Posted by gryffynklm

Rick,

Ycc, great pics. One day wouldn't be enough time to talk to every one.

No sir, it wasn't. I didn't even get to stop by the traditional living skills booths.. weaving, looming, spinning, black powder, smithing. cobbling, food preservation... I am really disappointed that I didn't get to go back Sunday.
I am thankful for the time I got to spend with these people.

**Justin Case** · 04-25-2010, 11:15 PM

Thanks YCC,, I really appreciate your knowledge

**gryffynklm** · 04-26-2010, 07:20 AM

YCC, were ws this event?

**nell67** · 04-26-2010, 08:34 AM

Awesome pics,YCC! How much does a dress like that run? Or is the stuff just for looksee,not for sale?

**your_comforting_company** · 04-26-2010, 08:36 AM

The event was held in Albany, GA at Chehaw Park. It's a rec area with exotic animal zoo, petting zoo, disc golf, BMX dirt tracks, nature walks.

This was not part of the petting zoo.
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and this is one of the reasons I no longer kill snakes.
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