Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-11-08
HEAD DRESS A SYMBOL
MEANING IN ORNAMENT WORN
BY THE RED MAN.
Significant to Friends and Enemies
Was the Feathered Headgear So
Proudly Worn by the Honored
"Braves" Of the Prairles.

Few ornaments worn by the In
dams are purely decorative, as we are
accustomed to believe. Almost every,
fantastic part of the Braves" garb,
says the Boston Herald, was symbolic,
and as such 1t was honored by the on
locker and esteemed by the proud pos
SCISSOR. Such was true especially of
the feathered headgear known as the
war bonnet. This ornament stood for
the social relation, the interdepend-
ence, and was not directly connected
with the supernatural, as were SO
many of the Indians symbols.
With the Omahas, the materials re-
qulred to make the bonnet were gath
cred by the man who wished to pos.
sess 1t, but its manufacture depended
on the assistance Of many persons. A
sort OF skull cap was made Of dressed
deerskin, with flap hanging behind;
border Of folded skin about the edge
formed the 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; the tip Of
hair fastened to the feathers and
painted red represented the mans
scalplock. Before 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 warrior counted his hon.
ors, he held up the feather which was
to represent them, saying: "In such
Dattle l did this" etc. At the con-
clusion OF the recital the feather was
handed to the man who was manufac-
turing the war bonnet, who then put
the feather In its proper place. AS
many OF these bonnets contained SO
or more feathers, and as each feather
must have an honor counted upon 1t,
and no honor could be counted twice,
the manufacturer of a bonnet required
several helpers and the task took con-
siderable time-often several days.
Strips Of ermine, arranged to fall
over the ears and cheeks, were fast.
ened to the bonnet. The ermine rep
recented alertness and skill In evad-
Ing pursuit. A bird or some other
symbolic object could be fastened on
the crown of the skull cap. This OBJ.
1ect was generally some feature of the
mans vision through which he be-
lieved he received supernatural aid
In the time Of need. Sometimes the
flap was embroidered with porcupine
work or painted with symbolic de-.
signs. 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 be.
came plentiful the flap was extended
to a mans feet when standing; when
the man was mounted 1t lay on the
back of his horse. In former times a
man could not deck his leggings or
shirt with fringe of hair except by
consent 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 hon.
or, aud no honor could be counted
twice. 1t was this custom tha. made
garments Of this character SO highly
valued. The hair for the fringe wa
generally furnished by the mans fe
male relatives. Each OF the locks
forming the fringe was usually sewed
in a heading of skin. frequently orna-
mented with quill work. The reason
for the passing of these ancient and
honorable decorations is obvious,
since Uncle Sam has so vigorously for.
bidden war.