Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 242, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1912 — HEAD DRESS A SYMBOL [ARTICLE]

HEAD DRESS A SYMBOL

MEANfNG IN ORNAMENT WORN BY THE RED MAN. significant to Friends and Enemies Was the Feathered Headgear So Proudl/ Worn by the Honored "Braves” of the Prairies. Few. ornaments worn by the Indians are purely decorative, as we are accustomed to believe. Almost every fantastic part of the “Brave’s" garb, says the Boston Herald, was symbolic, and as such it was honored by the on. looker and esteemed by the proud possessor. Such'was true especially of the feathered headgear known as the war bonnet. This ornament stood for the social relation, the interdependence, and was not directly connected with the supernatural, as were so many of the Indian's symbols. With the Omahas, the materials required to make the bpnnet were gathered by the man who wished to possess it, but its manufacture depended on the assistance of many persons. A sort of skull cap was made of dressed deerskin, with a flap hanging behind; a border of folded skin about tbe edge formed tbe foundation for the crown 'of golden eagle feathers,, which were fastened so as to , stand upright about the wearer’s head. Each one of these feathers stood for a man; tbe tip of hair fastened to the feathers and painted red represented tbe man’s scalplock. Before a feather could be fastened on the bonnet a man must count his honors which entitled him to wear the feather, and enabled him to prepare the feather for use In decorating the war bonnet. When a warrior counted his honors, he held up the feather which was to represent them, saying: “In such a battle I did this," etc. At the conclusion of the recital the feather was

handed to the man who was manufacturing the war bonnet, who then put the feather in its proper place. As many of these bonnets contained 50 or more feathers, and as each feather must have an honor counted upon it, and no honor could be counted twice, the manufacturer of a bonnet required several helpers and the task took considerable time—often several days. Strips of ermine, arranged to fall over the. ears and cheeks, were fastened to the bonnet. The ermine represented alertness and skill in evading pursuit. A bird or some other symbolic object could be fastened, on the crown of the skull cap. This object was generally some feature of the man’s vision through which he believed he received supernatural aid in the time< of need. Sometimes the flap was embroidered with porcupine work or painted with symbolic designs. Songs were sung during the making of the bonnet. Before the advent of the horse among the Indian tribes the flap of the bonnet did not extend below the waist, thus avoiding interference while walking or the wearing of'other ornaments; but after the horses became plentiful the flap was extended to a man’s feet when standing; when the man was mounted it lgy on the back of his horse. In former times a man could not deck his leggings or shirt with a fringe of hair except by eonsent of the warriors. Honors had to be counted on the strands of hair as on the feathers used in making the war bonnet, therefore each lock or tuft of the fringe stood for a war honor, and no honor could be counted twice. It was this custom that made garments of this character so highly valued. The hair for the fringe was generally furnished by the man’s female relatives. Each of the locks forming the fringe was usually sewed In a heading of Skin, frequently ornamented with quill work. The reason for the passing of these ancient and honorable decorations is obvious, since Uncle Sam has so rigorously toybidden war.