User:Oncamera/sandbox

To-do list on Sioux


 * Lodges
 * Tipi/Wood lodge --> Reservation housing


 * Clothing
 * Rawhide painting --> :Quillwork --> Beadwork --> Ribbonwork --> Contemporary Fashion Design


 * Foods
 * Historical --> Reservation Era --> Revival of healthier foods


 * Sports and games
 * Traditional learning games --> Revival of Lacrosse --> Rez Ball --> Athletes in any sport


 * Art
 * Visual
 * Winter counts --> Ledger Art --> Contemporary
 * Literature
 * Oral tradition --> Black Elk --> Charles Eastman/Zitkala Sa --> John Trudell etc
 * Dance
 * Omaha/Scalp Dance --> Modern Wacipi
 * Music
 * Drums/Flutes --> Powwow music/Flag song origins --> Hiphop/Contemporary

Ledger art, quillwork, beadwork, ribbonwork

In the absence of a written language, art held an important place in the tribes' oral traditions: Historically, men created figurative drawings on tipi covers and clothing that illustrated the war accomplishments of both individuals as well as the history of the tribe. Nellie Two Bear Gates was one of the first women of her tribe to break the gender barrier and create artwork using figurative images, which was at that time a male art form. Prior to the acquisition of beads, ribbons, and other materials from Europe, women used organic pigments to paint geometric abstract artwork on animal hide bags known as wókpȟaŋ (commonly referred to as parfleche bags in English). For nomadic people, these bags carried all the possessions of the tribe as they followed the movement of the bison, the most important animal to Plains tribes’ ways of life. The early geometric forms on wókpȟaŋ became the inspiration for later forms of artwork including quillwork and beadwork.

Porcupine quillwork is one of the oldest artforms of the Oceti Sakowin. Prior to the acquisition of beads, women would embroider plant-dyed porcupine quills on buffalo hides. Compared to beadwork of later years, quillwork is considered more sacred because quills come from a living being.

Amongst the Dakota and Lakota tribes, a woman's creativity was highly valued and they had had their own artistic societies. In quillwork societies, the number of hides dressed and decorated contributed to a woman's social status and a record was kept for each woman. Sometimes a special belt was given to a woman to wear to show how industrious she was in her work; it was a honor to wear one, as it could not be obtained otherwise. A woman's creative accomplishments were celebrated just as man’s war accomplishments were celebrated.

When the fur trade became prominent in the Plains, metal awls and needles soon replaced bone tools. Furthermore, the introduction of cloth, thread and glass beads hastened the decline of earlier tools: beads become more prevalent than quills, and needles over bone awls.

To protect the tribal communities and their hunting territories, villages of the Lakȟóta and Dakȟóta (known collectively as the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Seven Council Fires) required military power that depended upon the skills and bravery of men. To chronicle their accomplishments in battle, men used pictographic figurative art. Originally they carved into rock faces or painted on animal hides. Mens’ pictographic artwork helps tell the histories of their communities by aiding in the oral traditions of their people who did not have a written language.

One of the most important objects a warrior might carry into battle was his shield. To maintain the warriors’ mobility while on horseback, the small shields were worn on the back and could deflect arrows or glancing blows. However, the greatest protection these shields offered were from the vision-inspired paintings, which came from the haŋblečeya (vision-quest) ceremonies. These ceremonies gave spiritual knowledge to the seeker that would help them in times of need throughout their lives.