Did Any Native American Tribes Put Paint On Their Horses

July 21st, 2011 Last Updated on: January sixth, 2022

Native American confront painting has been taught to me, largely, by Northern and Southern Tribal Elders, but I prefer to maintain their privacy. Therefore, I have but used literary sources for references.

For years, I have heard different generations ask nigh the practice of face painting past men dancing at inter-tribal prisoner of war-wows or formal southern war dances. So, in this article, I will try to answer some of these questions. However, since this is sometimes a very circuitous topic with a great deal of cultural nuance, I would still propose the reader do farther study on their own, including talking with recognized elders within the tribal traditions about what dance styles and dance clothes in question may represent.

In this post, we'll explore the tribes who offset used face paint, the Plains Indians' contribution, the symbolism of different paint colors, and the significance of face up painting in Native American civilization.

Obtaining Paint

The oldest materials used in paint were derived from animate being, vegetable and mineral sources, with earth or mineral paint beingness the most common.

White and yellow paint was obtained from white and yellow clays along river beds, and buffalo gallstones produced a different kind of yellow. Green paint was obtained from copper ores.

One type of blue paint came from drying a certain blazon of duck manure, and some tribes would combine a bluish mud and xanthous clay to brand green paint.

Powdered charred wood and blackness earth were used in making black paint.

The base of operations for red paints, probably the most
commonly used color, were crimson-colored clay.

A brownish-blood-red paint could be obtained by baking yellow clay over ashes until information technology turned red. A description of this is described by Frances Densmore in her work titled Teton Sioux Music,

"On the Standing Rock Reservation is found a yellow ocherous substance which, after beingness reduced to a fine pulverization, is used by the Indians in making xanthous paint. This substance, when treated by ways of oestrus, yields the vermilion used on all formalism articles as well as in painting the bodies of the Indians. The baking of this ocherous substance – a process which requires skill – is done by the women. Kickoff, the substance mixed with water is formed into a ball. A pigsty is dug in the ground in which a burn down of oak bawl is fabricated. When the ground is baked the coals are removed, the ball is placed in the hole, and a fire is built above information technology. This fire is maintained at a gentle, fifty-fifty estrus for about an hour, which is sufficient for the corporeality of the substance usually prepared at a time. The action of the estrus changes the color of the substance to crimson. When the ball is common cold, it is pounded to powder. In the quondam days this red powder was mixed with buffalo fat in making the paint, but at present fourth dimension it is mixed with h2o. White, black and blueish paints were obtained past mixing colored earthy substances with buffalo fat. The blue was found in Southern Minnesota and required no handling by heat, and the white and black in Northward Dakota." (Densmore, 1918, p. 116)

To prepare them for use, virtually of the raw colored earth or clay deposits were broiled and and then basis into a powder. The pulverization was kept in a small buckskin package and would accept been put into a larger busy paint pocketbook with other bundles of different colors with maybe a bone or wooden applicator and a pocket-size mirror. When used they would either apply the pigment dry or mix information technology with behave grease, buffalo tallow, or water to attain the desired result.

Because of the religious significance and the ceremonial uses many tribes had for ruddy paint, the brilliant vermilion red paint offered to tribes by European fur traders was highly sought after at a very early engagement. According to J. Frederick Fausz, Ph.D., in his published curriculum for the 2004 grade titled The Louisiana Expansion at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, he states that long before French explorers met them in 1673, the Osage had moved onto the central plains forth with the related, neighboring tribes of Kansas (aka Kaw), Omaha, Ponca, and Quapaw.

When St. Louis was founded in 1764, it is said that the Osage used their talents and knowledge to make the fur merchandise assisting because they were considered the best fur producers south of Canada. Therefore, the Osage received many European items in trade including Chinese vermilion (aka mercury sulfide face-pigment).

Even among the Omaha, there is evidence that paint was obtained at a very early on stage from traders, as evidenced by the following,

"Some other saving of labor in comparison with sometime methods was involved in ownership paints from the traders. The paint was sold in small packages not much larger than a paper of darning needles." (Fletcher & Laflesche, 1911, p. 615)

Older Uses of Face Pigment

The painting of a homo's face up and body among the plains tribes during the buffalo days was said to exist a form of mental conditioning. Warriors would paint themselves with personal protective designs and colors before they engaged in boxing with an enemy. Hence the stereotypical term "state of war pigment".

This pigment would have been prayed over. It was believed that Indians' prayers were put into the paint, and when applied, the power of the prayers was conveyed upon the wearer.

Other times there might even exist special songs sung when paint was practical. Some applied the paint themselves; others preferred to be painted past a holy person or medicine man. Frances Densmore in Teton Sioux Music once more states that among the Teton Lakota:

"Lilliputian Buffalo (Tatanka-cikala) was a man who 'fabricated medicine' for the warriors. Using blue clay mixed with 'medicine', he painted a band across the homo'south brow with a branching cease on each cheek bone, the painting beingness done only in war. Conduct Hawkeye (Mato-wanbli), who had been painted in this manner by Little Buffalo, recorded the two following songs. He said that the first one was sung by Little Buffalo alone every bit he painted them, and the second by the warriors afterward the painting was finished." (Densmore, 1918, p. 350)

Face painting was, at other times, not connected with war training, equally designs of diverse kinds were used to designate membership in societies; used when participating in dissimilar celebrations; used as marks of achievement; and used in mourning for the dead.

According to Oglala Lakota Holy Man, Nicholas Blackness Elk in Joseph Brown'due south work titled, The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk'south Business relationship of the Vii Rites of the Oglala Sioux,

"By existence painted, the people have been changed. They have undergone a new nascency, and with this they have new responsibilities, new obligations, and a new relationship." (Brownish, 1953, p. 111)

Returning warriors of many plains tribes, who had taken scalps of their enemies, ofttimes painted their faces black before returning to their military camp.

Information technology has been said that the crow believed that a blackened face up symbolically represented the fires of revenge that had burned out after vanquishing their enemy.

The Pawnee scouts would use white face up paint to symbolize the wolf, whose spiritual power was considered to be of nifty help for a scout.

According to Fletcher & Laflesche in their work titled The Omaha Tribe, amid the Omaha,

"Men generally painted their faces and bodies in accordance with dreams or in representation of some accomplishment or accorded honor"…"before the advent of the looking glass a immature man was painted by his friend"…when going into battle, on the environment at the tribal buffalo hunt, when taking part in the Hedewachi Ceremony, at the Hethushka Guild, and the Pebble Society, the painting on their faces and bodies had a serious significance partaking of the nature of an entreatment or prayer." (Fletcher & Laflesche, 1911, p. 350)

Further in this aforementioned piece of work, in a chapter on the Omaha Men'due south Warrior Society called Hethushka, information technology states:

"Each man painted himself in accord with the directions given him at the public ceremony when he received his class of war honors." (Fletcher & Laflesche, 1911, p. 461)

At once it is said, the Omaha and the Ponca were one tribe. After separating they retained similar societies such as the Hethuska Society, and had like celebrations for conferring war honors. An example of the war honors among the Ponca includes reference to painting in Fletcher & Laflesche's work,

"Commencement honor: to strike an unwounded man. The sign of this honor was an eagle feather worn upright in the scalp lock; moccasin strings made of the pare of a grey wolf; the upper part of the body painted blackness"…." 2nd accolade: to be the first to strike a fallen enemy"…"The sign of this honor was an eagle feather worn horizontal in the scalp lock; painting the body irregularly in black stripes"…"Fifth honor: to take a scalp. The sign of this honor was to paint the face with a slight tinge of scarlet and put black stripes across it."…"Sixth honor: capturing horses from the enemy. The badge of this honour was to vesture at the dances a coil of rope around the body and to paint on the body figures shaped like the impression of a horses hoof." (Fletcher & Laflesche, 1911, p. 440)

Mod uses of face paint

Today face paint is still used by many Plains tribe Indians for a variety of reasons. Many events, such as Sun Dance Ceremonies, Naming Ceremonies, Society Ceremonies, Healing Ceremonies, and events for returning veterans may involve the painting of faces in one form or some other.

Some designs and color patterns may be "owned" past individuals, families, clans or societies. Depending on the tribe, the rite to habiliment a design and color design may be handed down from one individual to a younger relative. For case, an old combat veteran, too feeble to trip the light fantastic at pw wows anymore, could give his young grandson the rite to use his face paint pattern and colors when he dances.

In some tribes, confront paint patterns, face paint colors, the paint itself, and a possible prepare of protective prayers or songs, could be purchased from one individual by some other. A young man might come up to an older man saying something similar, "I remember y'all used to article of clothing a detail blueprint of paint when y'all danced. I would like to requite yous these gifts in commutation for the correct to honor you past wearing your design when I dance." It would then be said that he paid for the rite to clothing a particular design and color pattern.

Some modern traditional dancers are combat veterans who wear face pigment that they wore while in combat, or in a dream related to their gainsay feel, or equally a result of their combat experience. This is sometimes called "war pigment" or "warrior face pigment."

In both Ponca and the Osage Men's Warrior Societies, information technology is common to meet men wearing protective carmine paint at the corner of their eyes to achieve the desired effect.

For the Ponca Hethuska:

"The common face paint design for a Direct Dancer is a crimson line extending back from the corner of each heart for about 2 inches." (Howard, 1965, p. 65)

Among the Osage Inlonschka:

"In modern times Osages use very piddling confront paint in the Inlonschka. Normally only a streak of ruby one finger wide is used from the edge of the eye to the earlobe, a pinch of red is placed on each earlobe." (Callahan, 1990, p. 112)

Often times amidst the Ponca and Osage, a boy or young man is commonly painted for the first time by a relative when they are given their "Indian proper noun", or when they are brought into the dance circumvolve for the first fourth dimension. Depending upon their age, the private applies information technology themselves from then on. This cerise protection paint is said to protect the Straight Dancers from impairment while in the dance circumvolve.

Other Native American tribes, including those of the Southern Plains, have like variations of middle pigment in different colors and different patterns such every bit in a "v" shape coming out from the corner of the heart, in a "v" shape with a centre line or also known as a "crow's foot" design, or a serial of minor dots.

Lastly, whether yous are a Northern Traditional Dancer, a Southern Straight Dancer, a Fancy Plumage Dancer, a Chicken Dancer or a Grass Dancer, and you are because wearing face paint, the offset question yous should ask yourself is "why". Why should you exist wearing it? It may be for protection; to honour someone else; to be part of your personal experiences as a veteran; or to follow the dictates of a dream or visionary experience; or to show family, clan or order ties. One time you have answered the why then yous tin can move on to the how and when.

Featured image: Native American homo in white and black paint at a pow wow. (U.Due south. State Department)

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