Warriors Of The Plains

Warriors of the Plains explores the art of North American Plains Indian warriors - weapons, amulets, clothing and ceremonial objects - with particular emphasis on their ritual use and symbolic meanings. Unlike most books on Plains Indians, which have a purely historical focus, this title examines continuity and change between historic warrior societies and contemporary Native American military associations. Originally set up as clubs to organise war raids and to police seasonal cycles of nomadic hunting, warrior societies today maintain much of the Plains Indians' ethos, vigorously reinforcing their cultural, national and ethnic identity. With a new approach to the subject the author reveals how specific items and symbols - objects of "ritual and honour" - such as the American flag, eagle feathers and medicine bundles have been used over the last 200 years, as well as exploring the introduction of new elements in modern ceremonial practices such as powwow dance competitions and war veterans' celebrations. Lavishly illustrated with objects from the British Museum's important collections, as well as archival material, this book features previously unpublished material. Max Carocci has been conducting research on Plains Indians since 1989. Since 2006 he has been researching and collecting in this area for the British Museum and is the curator of the touring exhibition "Warriors of the Plains: 200 years of Native North American honour and ritual". He lectures on Indigenous American Arts at Birkbeck College, University of London and is editor of the Anthropological Index Online run by the Royal Anthropological Institute.

The Mystic Warriors of the Plains offers readers an extraordinarily detailed view of the daily activities of the peoples of the North American plains, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Nez Perce, Comanche, and many others. Used by Kevin Costner as a resource text for the motion picture Dances with Wolves, this is an extraordinarily in-depth examination of the day-to-day lives of the North American plains Indians, with over one thousand illustrations and thirty-two four-color plates. Covering everything from social customs, personal qualities, and government to types of weaponry, achievement marks, and the training of Indian boys, The Mystic Warriors of the Plains is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Plains Indian lore that will delight and inform everyone interested in understanding the native peoples of the Plains. "Magnificently and accurately ... conveys both the tragic ironies and splendors of the rich plains civilization." —Newsweek "Fascinating detail that gives a better idea of the plains people than mere description can do...."—Navajo Times

Filled with images both vintage and modern, this book illustrates the magnificent regalia worn by the warriors of the Great Plains. Many of today's powwow dancers incorporate vintage components in their outfits, and the numerous craftwork techniques presented here are sure to provide inspiration for creating contemporary dance and ceremonial regalia. Never before available in this format, the wealth of information in this book (covering beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of regalia) will guide readers in creating authentic reproductions of the clothing worn by tribes of the Northern, Central, and Southern Plains.

In 1906 teenage bride Julia Tuell arrived at Lame Deer, Montana, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation with her schoolmaster husband. Seven years later the Tuells moved to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and lived among the Sioux (pr

The horse culture of the tribes of the High Plains of North America lasted only some 170 years; yet in that time the sub-tribes of the Teton or Western Sioux people imprinted a vivid image on the world's imagination by their fearless but doomed fight to protect their hunting grounds from the inevitable spread of the white man. This text outlines the history, social organization, religion and material culture of the Santee, Yankton and Teton Sioux; rare early photographs include portraits of many of the great war chiefs and warriors of the Plains Indian Wars, and eight detailed plates record details of Sioux traditional costume.

For thousands of years, Plains Indians and their ancestors have occupied the vast region that stretches from the Mississippi river to the Rocky Mountains and from the Canadian plains to the Gulf of Mexico. Today, peoples such as the Blackfoot and Sioux still live in groups bound by language and shared rituals. From about 1800, one of the most important units beyond the extended family was the 'warrior society' - a social, political and ritual group that engaged in warfare and organised ceremonial life. The societies played a prominent role in battles, offering members the opportunity to gain honours through individual acts of bravery such stealing horses, capturing women, and taking scalps during war raids. These societies, however, have a rich ritual life that was marked by a strong sense of spirituality. In their ceremonies society members made use of objects such as pipes, rattles, and headdresses, as these were significant to their shared ideas of ritual and honour. Through a selection of unique objects from the British Museum's collection, this beautifully illustrated little book explores the world of the warriors of the North American Plains. Here are exceptional examples of feather headdresses, shields, moccasins, painted hides, scalps, pipes, tomahawks, and traditional and contemporary costumes. Many of these items may seem initially familiar from popular culture, but their deeper ritual significance is revealed by the author. A perennially popular subject, this book will appeal to young and old alike.

The Comanches were fierce warriors who lived on the Southern Plains. The Southern Plains extend down from the state of Nebraska into the north part of Texas. The chief object of this 1915 volume is to shed light not just on the particular garments of Plains Indians, but on their material culture as a whole.

The culture, arts, crafts and religion of the Plains Indians. Profusely illustrated.