Traditional & Contemporary

NOTE: All items shown on this page are for informational purposes only and not for sale as some are the property of museums and private collections.

• DreamCatchers: Legend states that the DreamCatchers should be hung over the sleeping person's bed so that the sacred web of life can catch the bad dreams. The good dreams pass through the center hole and are fulfilled in the sleeper's destiny. The bad dreams caught in the web will disappear with the first light of day.

• Mandalas: They are sacred symbols of the Universe. In many tribes they are variations of dance shields used by the Plains Nations. They are adorned with designs and fetishes that have special meaning to the owner and are meant to bring them happiness and prosperity. Some use the mandela for meditation and prayer.

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Shield

Plains Indian - 1880s

Photo by Tony Walsh

• Shields: Among the Plains Nations, a war shield was made of buffalo hide from around the neck because it was thicker. The Warrior's shield was his "medicine". It protected him from harm and gave him special sacred powers. The painting on the shield and the Scared objects tied to it, all had special meaning to the owner and those Sacred qualities were in turn given to the owner of the shield.

• Ceremonial Lances: Ceremonial lances as the name implies were used mostly for dances, parades, and pow-wows. Most of the lances are tipped with a flint spearhead. The overall length is about six or seven feet with twenty-four eagle feathers attached to one side of the shaft. Red cloth is used to attach the feathers to the shaft. The shaft may be oiled or painted.

• Drums: Native Americans always make the drum in a scared manner with prayers and smudging with the smoke from sacred sage and cedar for purification. The drum is the sacred heartbeat of the Native nation. It is sometimes referred to as the powerful medicine of thunder. It is always treated with respect as a sacred thing. Nothing is ever set on the drum, nor does anyone reach across it. Older drums were made of deer, elk, or buffalo hides but newer drums are covered in raw (cow) hide.

  Making Raw Hide Drum Covers: Cut the Raw Hide to fit the Drum.   Then soak the Raw hide in water for at least 24 hours before stretching it over the drum.  The Raw hide strips or tie downs should also be soaked in water at least 24 hours.
    The finished wet raw hide drum should be set in the sun to dry so that it will dry tight and firm.   Good Luck!
  

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Last updated Thursday, December 06, 2001