Native American Art and Culture~The Sioux Nation

Beadwork, (including using beads to decorate clothing and tipis), Pipe Carving, Buffalo hide painting, animal skull painting (as well as other types of painting) and quill work. Each of these traditional Sioux art skills require great concentration, skill, talent and patience. The Sioux are also excellent at crafts, dance, music and story telling.

Some of the Sioux Tribe has branched out into working with metals and other materials. Jewelry making goes back many years as you can still find ancient beads on the reservations.

My own opinion is that the Traditional Native American Art brings out a dedication, creativity and a passion that no other art form has done for me. I know many others share my views. Each picture is a story. Literally, an entire story.

I would like to share with you some fabulous artwork, and Artists that I feel capture the Spirit and beauty of the Sioux Nation.

This first segment is Dedicated to Paha Ska (Orville) Salway; 1923-2005. Artist, Story Teller, Elder, Friend. Gone but not forgotten.

The crafts made by Native Americans have been passed down from generation to generation. They are not machine made, they are not mass produced. They are hand made and is Authentic Native American Art. With the Genuine Article, you are getting all of the Talent, skill, tradition and history along with it. The proceeds benefit Native American Families, Museums, Organizations and Groups.

Animal Symbolism in the Siuox Culture
The Turtle (ke-ya)
You will often see the turtle symbol in Sioux Art. The Lakota Oyate observed the changes occurring with each new moon. Each moon was identified in descriptive terms by the occurrences of that month. The Lakota also observed the changes in the stars in the night sky.

Certain star constellations appeared during each season. From these observations, they determined the equinox and the changes in the seasons. The Lakota identified 13 months in a year because of the 13 new moons; each moon has 28 days from one new moon to the next.

The Lakota Oyate also observed some creatures that reflected natural phenomena. For instance, the keya (turtle) has 13 large scales on its back, and 28 small scales around the shell. Because of these and other natural occurrences the keya became an important symbol in Lakota society.The turtle is also a involved in a custom for many families. When a newborn child's umbilical cord drops off, the Mother often crafts a pouch, in the shape of, or with the symbol of a turtle on it. This "amulet" is tied to the childs crib. It is meant to ward off illness and also used as the childs first toy. The Amulet is then put up until the child is old enough to respect the meaning of it, then usually worn around the neck.



The picture of the keya dream catcher in the photo along with this text is from the Atka Lakota Musuem and the link to the product page is:
www.aktalakota.org

Amulet picture courtesy of Native Arts Trading

The Buffalo (Tatonka)
Holds deep meaning for the Sioux and generally represents Mother earth and all she provides and offers. There are legends concerning the White Buffalo as well. It is very common to see Buffalo depicted in the art. Again, the dream catcher above is fashioned out of Buffalo bone.
The Buffalo is an important part of a Girl's ritual into Womanhood. The Buffalo, for Sioux men, represents protection and their responsibility to provide protection to the females and the Tribe. When hunting the Buffalo, the Sioux used Ever part of the animal.

The Deer: The Lakota refer to the deer's swiftness, to the mysterious way in which the deer can hide itself when hunted, and to those 'magical' songs that can make deer appear. For the Lakota, the deer has a double nature and manifests dangerous power. For example, in myths the blacktail deer is known to appear as a beautiful maiden in order to lure men to a lonely, isolated spot. When the man follows, the deer usually transforms back into its real self and death of the young man follows. If, however, the young man does not die, then he is thought to possess great power. Black Road, the original leader of the Oglala Bow Society, apparently secured his own personal power from this source (Brown 1997: 20).

Elk Young men are appreciative of the qualitie of the Elk Bull. The Elk represents Gallantry, protection and beauty. The Elk tooth is a symbol of long life. However, it is the mythical Elk Bull which is revered.

The Bear The bear is symbolized for as the male polarity of the animals (Where the Buffalo was for female) The Bear is fierce, and unpredictable, but pays attention to herbs, so it has great significance in healing and medicine.

The Grey Wolf The grey wolf has claimed the attention of Plains Indian warriors more than most other animals. They have observed that the grey wolf is a fast runner of great endurance and as such Lakota war party scouts often wore wolf hides so as to be 'fleet of foot'. Wolves are wanderers and therefore have knowledge of everything. As such hunters have often prayed to wolves when they wanted to locate game. Wolves give advice. They teach songs in dreams and visions and teach humans how to howl as a wolf. The wolf's howl has special powers. For example, one legend recounts the story of a wolf who teaches a warrior a song and when the warrior howls wind is created. Another howl produces fog. The wind confuses the enemy and the fog lends invisibility to the war party

The Great Chief Black Elk thought no animal was insignificant. He believed people could learn from the smallest of creatures. Among the most important to the Lakota, he noted the:

Eagle The Eagle is able to fly higher than any bird, and see everything from a greater advantage. Great care and respect was given to the capture of an Eagle to remove feathers. Warriors even cried out of respect as they plucked the feathers.

Even today, The Lakota, when seeing an Eagle, will offer it tobacco. Sometimes that means throwing a couple of cigarettes down.

Eagles are considered a very positive sign

These are just a few of the many symbols revered and used by the Native American, especially the Sioux Nation. Animals which appear in dreams are sometimes considered visions.

You can learn a lot about a culture by taking language classes. You can learn Lakota, or any other language. You can take Italian Course New York

The Medicine Wheel holds great Spiritual Significance for the Lakota. The Lakota believe that everything about the wheel is representative of something. The shape of the wheel represents the never ending circle of life and death. It means the Alpha and the Omega, Beginning and End, and to the Lakota Sioux, represents unity in the Great Spirit.

Inside the circle is a cross shape. The cross symbolizes the four directions, and also the Four Lakota Virtues (see below). When looking at the Medicine Wheel, begin at the Left. The West, which is the color black (or Midnight blue); The top is the North, which is Red; Right is the East, which is yellow; and the bottom, which is South, is represented by the color white.

"The Medicine wheel has four Direction, each direction offering it's own lessons, color, and animal guide. There are to paths shown which cross in the center, at which point for me is the heart. (for when you work from your heart, you can reach all directions.) The path from East to West is the path of spirits, (the Blue Road) the path from South to North is our physical Walk (the Red Road ).

East - beginnings, purity, family, innocence, amazement of Life
South - youth - passions of life, friendships, self-control
West - Adulthood - solitude, stillness, going inside oneself, reflection
North - Place of the Ancient Ones who have gone over - place of wisdom
Above - Freedom of mind, body, spirit below - Nuturing, Mother, life"

- Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux 1868-1937

Although I have seen Variations in the lines connecting the four corners, the Lakota do use Black, White, Red and Yellow, which is also symbolism, explained above.

Medicine wheels have been fashioned from bead, leather, almost anything. It is said that in old times, the Medicine Wheel was held by only the Medicine Man, and not used by the entire tribe.
( Lakota Designs

Tribal Waters:
Music from Native Americans

Wacantognaka - Generosity

Wotitakuye - Kinship

Wacintaka - Fortitude

Woksape - Wisdom

GenerosityThere is an old Lakota Saying; "What you give away, you keep; What you keep, you lose" It is common for the Lakota to have "giveaways" on special or important occasions. They lay their items out for any one in the community to take.

Kinship Incorporates the tiyospaye, the extended family. You belong to a tiyospaye through birth, marriage or adoption. Your family even extends out to your band and the whole Lakota nation. Whenever you travel somewhere, you can expect to be welcomed and supported as if you were in your own immediate family. The Lakota have adopted many white men and women into their tiyospaye.

Fortitude Means having confidence. Facing danger with strength and courage. It is the ability to overcome problems. According to the Tradition information at the Akta Museum; One of the first lessons a Lakota child learned in the old days was self-control and self-restraint in the presence of parents or adults. Mastery and abilities came from games and creative play. Someone more skilled than oneself was viewed as a role model, not as a competitor. Striving was for achieving a personal goal, not for being superior to one's opponent. Success was a possession of the many, not of the few.

Wisdom Elders are to be revered for their knowledge in the Lakota Culture. Wisdom has to do with understanding and living the spiritual values and beliefs upon which one's culture is founded and being able to share these with others. Wisdom means being able to incorporate the sacred way of life into one's own life and to respect and honor all life.

Please keep in mind these are sacred to the Lakota. I write them with all due respect to the Sioux People

1. Legend of White Buffalo Woman;

2. Keeping of the Soul

3. The Rite of Purification

4. Sun Dance

5. Crying for a Vision

6. The Making of Relatives

7. A Girls Coming of Age

Personally, I think the Lakota Language is beautiful, although it isn't a language that rolls right off the tongue unless you are accustomed to speaking it. Centuries old, the language is seeped in tradition also.

Big - ta%u014Bka (tonuka)

Little - cik'ala (cheekuala)

Friend - kola (koula)

If you are interested in learning the language of the Lakota, you can visit the Akta Museum - Atka Lakota Museum

Learning a different language can expand your horizon. Take German course New York

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