Teaching Choral Concepts

Review

     Indian Crafts and Skills provides an excellent study of Indian work, both practical and artistic. The book not only describes the skills Indians have developed but gives specific instructions for creating many kinds of Indian handiwork yourself.

     The author, a skilled artist and craftsman, explains the various types of shelters and tools used by the Indians, as well as the weapons made for warfare or hunting. Trapping and tracking are vividly described, complete with diagrams for help in identifying most every kind of wild animal track.

     Step-by-step, you can learn brain tanning, the process of tanning leather that gives the most beautiful results, then learn how to make authentic Indian clothing-from elaborate war-bonnets to several varieties of moccasins. Concise, easy-to-read instructions will tell you all you need to know about creating Indian fashions.

     Discover the basics of the Indian "kitchen," including utensils and cookery, as well as the many foods common to the Indian diet: meats and nuts, fruits and vegetables found in their wild surroundings; everything from buffalo to grasshoppers. Even drinks and seasonings used in daily food preparation, and many plants useful for food and medicine, are illustrated.

     Dogs, horses, and boats are cited as the main means of Indian transportation, and instructions for building saddles, travoises, and canoes are provided for the ambitious enthusiast of Indian skills. The book is full of illustrations depicting these items, as well as the pouches, scabbards, and cases used by the Indians to carry important personal items, much like their modern-day counterparts of purses, wallets, suitcases, and baby carriers. These, too, can be made by the modern outdoorsman in the authentic and distinctive style of the Indian peoples.

     Not only will you discover the practical aspects of Indian livelihood, but also their methods of adornment and amusement. The beauty and artistry of Indian jewelry, especially their skillful geometric beadwork, comes to life in the colorful description of the art of jewelry-making, an art you can begin learning through careful study of the chapter devoted to it.

     Another chapter takes a look at a variety of Indian games and musical instruments skillfully created for pure enjoyment.

     The author provides a complete list of reference books and supply sources to help in re-creating the magic and mystery of Indian handiwork. Indian Crafts and Skills is an authentic and exciting book for people who wish to share in the heritage of skill and artistry of a wide variety of Indian tribes.

Table of Contents

1. Shelters, 15
   The Tipi
Tipi Construction, 17
Smoke Flap Pole Pocket, 20
Dew Cloth Liner, 21
Setting Up the Tipi, 22
Ozan, 28
Tipi Fire Pit, 29
Tipi Pole Racks, 30
Stripping Poles, 31
Painting the Tipi, 32

   The Wigwam
Wigwam Construction, 33

   The Pit Dwelling, 37
Pit House Construction, 38

2. Tools, 41
Graining Tool for Tanning, 42
Beaming Tool, 42
Firemaking, 43
Metate and Mano, 45
Horn Quill Smoother, 45
Drill, 45
Steel Hawk, 46
Root Digger, 46
Hide Scraper, 46
Hammer Stone, 47
Fat Scraper, 49
Stone Scraper, 49
Metal Awl, 49
Bone Awl, 49

3. Weapons, 50
Atlatl, 51
Leister (Fish Lance), 52
War Lance and Points, 53
Cherokee Blow Gun, 55
Bow Making, 55
Bow String Making, 57
Arrows, 59
Arrow Points, 62
Knives, 63

4. Hunting, Tracking and Trapping, 64
   Animal Tracks
Mule Deer, 65
White Tail Deer, 65
Bull Moose, 66
Bull Elk, 66
Antelope, 67
Caribou, 67
Cougar, 68
Mountain Goat, 68
Turkey, 69
Canadian Goose, 69
Mallard Duck, 69
Buffalo, 69
Black Bear, 70
Grizzly Bear, 70

   Traps
Fish Trap, 71
Trail Pit, 71
Snare Trap, 72
Figure-Four Deadfall, 73

5. Tanning, 74
Fleshing, 75
Hair Removal, 75
Braining, 76
Smoking, 77
Rawhide, 78

6. Clothing, 79
Calico Shirt, 80
Early Buckskin Shirt, 81
Blackfoot- or Crow-Style War Shirt, 82
Buckskin Leggings, 84
Blanket Leggings, 85
Breech Clout, 86
Capote (Blanket Coat), 87
1830 Crow Buckskin Dress, 92
Apache Puberty Cape, 93
Sioux Cloth Dress, 94
Moccasins, 98
One-Piece Plains Moccasin, 99
Two-Piece Plains Moccasin, 100
Navajo-Style Moccasin, 101
Woodland One-Piece Moccasin, 103
Buffalo Robe, 104
Trade Blanket with Bead, 104
Southwest Blanket, 104
Headdresses, 105
Crow War Bonnet, 105

7. Cooking and Eating Utensils, 107
Hide or Paunch Cooking, 108
Metate and Mano, 109
Wooden Bowl, 110
Southwest Cooking Pot, 111
Tripod for Cooking, 114
Horn Spoon, 115

8. Foods, 116
List of Common Indian Foods, 117
Drinks, 118
Seasonings, 118
Vegetables, 118
Food Preparation, 118
Wild Plants for Medicine, 121

9. Transportation, 128
Horse, 129
Dog, 129
Man's Pad Saddle, 130
Decorated Boy's Saddle, 131
Stirrups, 132
Woman's Saddle, 133
Travois, 136
Birch Bark Canoe (Ojibwa), 137
Bullboat, 144

10. Pouches, Scabbards, and Assorted, 145
Pipe Bag, 146
Strike-a-Lite Pouch, 147
Saddlebags, 148
Knife Scabbard, 149
Arrow Quiver and Bow Case, 150
Awl Case, 152
Parfleche Case, 153
Medicine Parfleche, 153
Parfleche Regalia Bag, 154
Parfleche Box, 155
Baby Carrier (Iroquois), 156
Ceremonial Pipe, 157
Willow Backrest, 158

11. Jewelry and Ornaments, 162
Choker, 163
Breastplate, 164
Bead Designs, 165
Ojibwa Headpiece and Choker, 167
Hidatsa Claw Necklace, Hairpiece, Bracelet, 168
Ponca Choker, 169
Iowa Earring, 169
Pawnee Necklace, 169
Iowa Necklace, 169
Chippewa Silver Armband, 169
Creek Silver Disk Necklace, 169
Sac and Fox Breastplate, 170
Menominee Silver Earring, 170
Hopi Wristband, 170
Seminole Gorget, 170
Glycymers Shell Bracelet, 170
Trade Silver, 171
Navajo Ketoh, 171
Hopi Silver Overlay Bracelet, 171
Navajo Concho Belt, 172

12. Bead and Quill Work, 173
Hohokan Shell and Stone Trinkets or Fetishes, 174
Types of Beads, 174
Bead Necklaces, 177
Edge Beading, 178
Beadwork for Strips and Moccasins, 179
Chippewa Cross-Warp Bead Weaving, 180
Double-Weft Bead Weaving, 181
Bead Strip Designs, 182
Plains Moccasin Bead Design, 183
Woodland Moccasin Bead Design, 185
Porcupine Quill Work, 187
Quill Plaiting, 188
Quill Applique, 189
Quill Wrapping, 190
Two-String Quill Wrap, 191
Loom Quill Work, 191
Quill Dying, 193

13. Musical Instruments and Games, 194
Drum, 195
Gourd Rattle, 196
Turtle Shell Rattle, 196
Bone Whistle, 197
Ring and Pin Game, 198
Snow Snake, 199
Snow Dart, 199
Hoop and Pole, 200
Hand Game, 200

Supply Sources, 201
Glossary, 205
Annotated Bibliography of Selected Books, 209
Index, 213

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