Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-12-12
INDIANS FEATHERS.
THEY ARE EMBLEMS OF OAR
ING AND CONQUEST.
The savage's Feathered Headdress Is
Not Merely Crnamental-It Tells the
Story of the wearer's Prowess in
Bloody Battles.

Bloody Battles.
Everybody knows of the fondness of
the North American Indian for
feathers, especially those of the eagle
and wild turkey, but almost every
one who thinks at all of the matter
believes it is merely for ornament
and vanity, just as the devotee of
fashion among our enlightened selves
on viewing the wreck of some pretty
bird in the milliner's window is sorely
distressed until she obtains the same
or some other equally handsome TO
adorn her giddy head and fiaunt be-
fore the eyes of her admirers.
But the. Indian wears his feathers
with a deeper meaning. much tho
same as the Grand Army man attaches
to his badge and uniform.
One thing the more intelligent
tribes have admired in all, not only
among themselves, but also in their
enemies, and that is bravery, says the
Cincinnati Enquirer. Their vanity,
however, equals and even surpasses
their valor, and when they believe
themselves to have accomplished a
meritorious act they desire all the
world to know it. Fabrics and orna-
ments being crude and few with them,
among other things they fixed on
feathers as marks of exploit and in
trepidity. Feathers also have much
to do with diplomatic messages,
fetishes and charms, becoming, ac-
cording as they were worn, cut,
painted, stained or bound up together,
symbols of many things.
The Sioux Indian, who, in sight of
the adversaries, touches slain or
living enemy, is allowed for this ex-
| ploit to wear feather horizontally in
his hair. They look upon this as an
important act of valor, for numbers
are killed in the attempt to attain this
honor. Differently marked or cut
feathers are worn to show the success
sion in which the fallen enemy was
struck, even in some tribes to the fifth
to strike. Among the Dakotas of
Northern Minnesota a black feather
denotes that woman belonging to
the enemy has been slain. A plain
feather signifies the wearer has killed
an enemy, without reference to the
manner in which it was DONE When
the end is clipped transversely and the
edge dyed red it signifies that the
throat of the foe was cut, and when
notch is cut out of the broader web
and band along the cut stained it
means that the enemy's throat was
cut and he was scalped by the wearer
of the feather. Differently notched
feathers among the Dakotas tell of the
succession in which the foe was struck,
and split feather means that the
wearer has received many wounds.
In Mrs. Eastman's "Dacotah" it is
stated that a spot ON the larger web
indicates the Staying of an enemy by
the wearer, and another writer says
that when a warrior has been wounded
he wears a red spot on the broad side
of his feather.
Beldon says:
"Among the Sioux an eagles feath-
ar, with a red spot painted on it.,
worn by warrior in the village, de-
notes that on the last warpath he
killed an enemy, and for every addi-
tional enemy he has slain he carries
another feather painted with an addi-
tional red spot about the size of a sill
yer quarter"
Only the most distinguished of war
riors are allowed to wear the great
feather cap with horns They must
have performed many deeds of valor
and led successful war parties ana be-
come quite celebrated ere they can
don this plumed uniform for which
they are SO noted and in which artists
love to depict them. This cap con-
sists of strips of white ermine and red
cloth, or simply red cloth hanging al
most to the heels; and an upright row
of eagle feathers is set firmly into the
strips, so the appendage somewhat re-
sembles the long back fin of dol
phin, and the front of it is surmounted
by pair of buffalo or OK horns.
Possibly one of the strangest sym
bolic decoration by feathers is men
toned by Worsnop as used by the
Australian natives. He says that on
grand occasions OF the ''Mindarie''
(peace festival these natives decorate
their bodies, face, legs and feet with
the down of wild fowl, stuck on with
Jnelr own DlOOu. Inc ceremony Ol
taking the blood is very painful, but
they endure it without murmur. II
takes five or six men four or five
hours to decorate one man. The
blood is PIT OH and while wet the
down stuck to it, showing, when fin
ished, outlines of the head, face ant
feet of man, snakes, emu, fish, trees
birds and other outlines representing
the sun, moon and stars AMI Aurora
Australis, tho whole signifying tha
they are at peace with the world.
Feathers are also used in message
and fetishes bound up with numerou
other objects each having its own pur
port, and strange devices and append
age of dress and ornament which to u
appear ridiculous, each has its sym
bolic meaning to brother savage
and glance at the person will tell q
Indian many things relating to tn
history of the brother warrior h
meets on the way.