- This topic has 14 voices and 69 replies.
-
Posts
-
I have 1 set for each dance of the day. I dance or Inlonshka at Pawhuska and need to change clothes between sets. It is usually gets real hot.
I forgot to mention my vest that I have to wear. I have several. Red, blue, blk, grn, multicolored, etc.
The reason I can wear red is that I am the oldest and the first born son.
Glad you brought this thread back up….I have been working on a new set of regalia as well. Ken ran across a box of quilt tops that belonged to his family (several generations back), I washed them and then chose the one that looked the best to begin making a skirt. So far I have a lining pinned to it, waiting to get the clutter away from the sewing machine to stitch it. It is mainly colors of blue, which will match a headpiece that Ken gifted to me for our anniversary. This may be the outfit that gets the bonnet and apron….not sure yet until I get it all together.
Not sure about the shirt to go with it yet…may take the old one and stitch some quilt squares that were in the same box to it. Or may order one online from Crazycrow. And thinking about taking embroidered pillowcases to make the leggings. My mom gave me a quilt that was made by my greatgrandmother for the first born child (my brother). Since he has no interest in it, I am taking it for a shawl, it has hand embroidering on it from the ladies in the family…so that makes it extremely special to me.
I now have a beaded dragonfly headpiece to wear this year with my homespun regalia. The colors in that are red, green, and yellow.
Bob, I am like you…I like having several sets so that I can have a “fresh” outfit to wear the next day when the pow wows run over the weekend. You can get kinda sweaty here…and you never know what “speaks” to you until you get ready to dress…at least I don’t. I also now have a set of mocs that I can wear when I don’t wish to wear the white boots. I wish I had had them when we danced at Frisco. It had just rained there the week before and the ground was wet, needless to say my white boots got a lot darker.
Bringing this forward since there was quite a bit of discussion here about regalia. I have yet to finish my skirt from the quilting…but do currently use the crazy quilt for a shawl with my regalia. I have found a lady that wants to work on quilts, so I may enlist her help in getting the skirt made. I have put my “honoring veterans” regalia together-using red, white, and blue for the first day’s dancing.
So much has happened in the 5 years since that last post. Our regalia has continued to evolve. I was gonna start a regalia thread and saw that there was so much good info in this one that it made sense to bring it back.
Becky talked about her veteran’s attire. She will usually wear it on Saturday to honor veterans. This past year she was gifted a new shirt to wear when she honors veterans. I was also gifted a veteran’s shirt custom-made by a dear friend to honor my 15 years as a volunteer firefighter. Here we are in the regalia that we wear to honor our veterans.
I have continued with my braintanning. Now I dance in all braintan having retired the commercial leather that I started dancing in. When I have it all on, I am wearing the hides of 6 deer. Everything that I wear was either made by me or gifted to me.
The first picture shows the 39″ rattlesnake trailer that I wear. This and next picture were taken at a school presentation we did as a teacher helps me demonstrate how to turn a blanket into a colonial matchcoat. 3rd picture is doing a dance demo at a street festival and 4th picture shows front view with Becky in the homespun she was just designing 5 years ago.
After opening thumbnails click on picture 2 times to go full screen to best view details
Our granddaughter has been in the circle since she was 11 days old. I made her a buckskin outfit for when she dances Women’s Traditional Buckskin. Making children’s regalia is a challenge because you want it to be able to grow with them so you don’t have to replace it frequently. Initially her skirt had about 6″ folded under at waist and wrapped all the way around her almost twice. (when she was 2 years old) Now it is unfolded at top and has had a panel added in front. When she grows more in height, I will add another layer to the bottom. Done properly, she can continue to wear this skirt until she is adult.
The other pictures show a couple of her Fancy Shawl outfits. Becky has made all her Fancy Shawl outfits. As she outgrows an outfit, it is gifted to a younger dancer, hopefully staying in the circle forever.
You can also see Becky in her Sunday regalia in one picture.
I still use my Osage cloths. We have both buckskin and wool leggins, Aprons/Breech Clouts, Mocs. finger weaved drops and leggin drops,with our wool leggins. Some wear vest, I do sometimes. Long shirts. Otter drop for the back, which I wear many of my military medals, others decorate as wanted. Maybe bandolers, an over belt, a porcupine roach, some may wear an otter turbin.
Some with mixed eastern influence may decorate clothing with floral beadwork or ribbon work.
Bob
Since this thread began, DNA showed that my Sinkey line shows alleles that match descendents of Blue Jacket of the Shawnee. I applied for and was accepted into the Piqua Shawnee, along with my cousin Deb who was briefly on this forum. I have come to believe that my Blackfoot refers to Black Hoof of the Shawnee, and that my 3rd great grandmother was a member of his tribe. My third cousin, now diseased, remembers Shawnee from her grandfather and that her grandfather could do the dances. Consequently, my regalia is that of a Shawnee circa 1814. I made the blouse and the skirt, but my sewing skills don’t go as far as applique, so I hired out my design which used a 1900 Shawnee mocasin design as the applique on my skirt. Certain of my regalia items are made by the Lakota where I volunteer each year, building beds, outhouses, etc. to help them live a little easier.
Techteach
This is some of my families and my regalia. I have had my black dress for nearly 20 years. My middle daughter is the fancy shawl, cloth and buckskin dancer, youngest daughter cloth traditional and fancy shawl and my oldest daughter is a jingle and buckskin dancer.
My oldest daughters bio-fathers line was Sioux and I was adopted by a Cheyenne and allowed to adorn the tribal type/desgins of dress.
~suthainn
I’m learning a lot from others here. Dancing at powwows and wearing regalia are not parts of our tradition that were handed down to me or ones I have picked up. I have a Métis sash that was gifted to me when I was born, that is now my first daughter’s, and another adult size sash that was gifted to me when my second daughter was born. All I usually wear is a black bandana like DreamingHawk.
While the practice may be lost to me, the symbolism is not. To me the sash symbolizes mixed-blood identity and the black bandana symbolizes ‘Blackfoot’. Wearing things you made or that were gifted to you is a principle I came to understand internally somehow. It is reaffirming for my inner voice to see DreamingHawk mention that here.
Over the last year I’ve been feeling a sense of loss at not having more of these traditions. I’ve been thinking on ways my dress could better reflect my identity. Not just regalia- but everyday dress. Squaring Quaker plain dress tradition with regalia is a challenge. For me wearing simple well-worn clothes represents humility and equality. This is another principle I came to understand internally. It seems some things can pass through generations even unspoken.
Often people pressure me to change my appearance. In my twenties my hair was half way down my back, suggestions to cut it were frequent until I did. Others try to get me to buy new clothes because they think what I’m wearing is too worn. Since making it to my forties I have stopped listening to these opinions, and stopped cutting my hair. Seeing braids like DreamingHawk’s are a powerful symbol.
Hopefully I will be able to develop something soon that will replace the sense of loss and strengthen my identity. Billahuk to everyone for sharing their regalia pictures and stories!
Considering how many generations of our people had to hide all hints of ndn identity from the public, I am proud to represent everywhere I go. At the least, I wear a “Native Pride” ballcap….. maybe a powwow t-shirt and a couple of necklaces…. the braids are usually pulled together with a hair tie down my back when not dancing.
Weddings and funerals: suit and nice shirt…. no necktie, ever….. bolo and several necklaces. Ball cap replaced by black planter’s hat with 2 turkey feathers.
Marc, start wearing a Quaker’s hat with a turkey feather sticking up and “Native Pride” on a beaded hatband…. >;-)
That’s over your black bandanna, so you still be representin’ when you take your hat off.
I have no outfit, but Marcs comment reminds me of my own story.
I didn’t know the symbolism of the color back as far as mixed identity. It has always been one of my favorite colors to wear. Along with other earthtones.
I can respect how people would choose their outfits to represent themselves. Oh, an hair styles. Most all the dudes had long hair when I was young. Then was the big hair days..LOL Its funny to see how the styles change over the years. You look back at what was styling and oh how things change.
It seems to be a part of humanity. You see some who dress to show their wealth or status, other who dress with the latest trends. Some dress to advertise what they stand for. Some dress to express who they are. Some dress to suit the occasion or proffession. Some dress for how they feel.
Growing up, I moved all over the place. Always the new person and rarely fit into the acceptance of others. My mom couldn’t afford the latest of fashion. By the time I was a teen I had come to accept that I would not be accepted. Nor did I want to be, if it meant betrayal of my own identity. I didn’t want to give up my own style, and thought, and speech to fit it. Looking back, I was rejecting what had rejected me. I honestly felt like I didn’t belong on this earth because I wasn’t like everyone else for a short time. I came to realize, being individual wasn’t bad, and because I was different didn’t mean I was invalid or less important than anyone else. I showed my own personality in my dress, and chose to be more humble, and at times rebellious. Still to this day I feel very uncomfotable if I’m dressed to fancy. Its just not me. I feel more comfortable on a level I can relate with. Crazy how what you wear has so much affect on us and those around us, and peoples perceptions of eathother.
I admire these outfits for expressing the identities of those who wear them, and the symbolism it represents. As well, the humble relationship to earth, and tradition it reminds me of.. Its a beautiful thing.
I will say, living here in Kansas, we are subject to many nations and their ways and dress. The professional powwow circuit dancers have very bright and “in your face” regalia for the contests. I personally don’t wear my regalia with cut beads or too many. I love to dress in older styles and more 1700-1800 traditional. I have a buckskin Im nearly finished with in the golden elk color, instead of white, and colors of beadwork is red, white and black.
Black too, is so very important to me. It is in all of my regalia and most of my non regalia clothing. I understand the representation of yourself and your spirituality with clothing and hair.
My husband is British and because he is 1/2 scot, he wears his hair long and beard long to represent his highland clan and he too, gets grief over it at times, but stands up for his beliefs and heritage and stands beside me and the children too, even if he ignored or looked down upon when we go to a native function.
Over the last few days from being on this site, I will say I feel better about myself and my convictions. I know I may never have something in paper to show what I know I am, but my personality and respect for my and others culture will be all I need.
I feel blessed to have found this site.
~suthainn
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
