Quebecois Gustoweh

J.L. Benet · 12-18-2006, 01:43 PM

I am making new tradish regalia. I'd like to recognize both sides of my mixed heritage. One way I was thinking was to put an dyed ostrich plume in the gustoweh. The ostrich plume was a signifer that the wearer was a hivernant, a person (often of mixed blood) who lived in the wilderness and did not go to Montreal to winter. I tried this, but it just looks garish and out of place. I've tried it in place of the eagle feather, and mixed in with the turkey feathers. Does anyone have any ideas on how I could do it, without it looking bad?
Another idea I had was to build a gustoweh around a toque, or just the single feather in the toque (to signify that I'm Seneca).

Blackbear · 12-19-2006, 04:58 AM

Well... when the colonists first came, it was'nt uncommon to see some iroquois wearing the turban type gustowehs with an ostrich plume. That was kinda a look among alot of eastern tribes down the coast actually. I'm sure you've seen the paintings of Oceola right? I'm sure it did look odd in the gustoweh though.... I'm trying to picture it and it just doe'snt picture right LOL!

oufeehc · 03-30-2007, 09:37 PM

that's what i was thinking of doing, actually. well, not with the ostrich feather, but down here, the pueblos wear a small bunch of parrot feathers on their heads, and since were pueblo, my brother was thinking about putting that on his gustoweh, instead of any eagle feathers, in order to not be mistaken to be one of those tribes that smoke dance.

Blackbear · 04-02-2007, 04:47 AM

How about not wearing a gustoweh but instead wear scalp feathers or one of the small round roaches?

Tom Iron Eagle · 04-04-2007, 12:18 PM

Hey, J.L., Blackbear has it pretty much on the head - But many Tribes long before the time of Osceola used and wore all kinds of the exotic feathers from the Europeans - this included Ostrich.

The Ostrich feathers were used almost immediatley since White Contact in the 16th Century (many years before Osceola) all up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Evidence even shows that these excotic feathers along with others like pheasant, magpie, makaw and more were used by Tribes from the Atlantic to the Pacific as early as the late 18th and early 19th Centuries.

I say still use the Ostrich feather, but have it off to the side of the gustoweh and pointing down as more of an accent feather. I have seen this done and it looks really cool. So do some trail and error and see what you come up with.

**eap7** · 04-04-2007, 07:01 PM

My opinion is, that if you do something that isn't generally done, it will look "weird" in that it doesn't look like what everyone else is wearing. So if you wear an ostrich feather, JL Benet, or parrot feathers oufeehc, then people might question you about it because to them its different. But I think given that you have reasons to do it then its different than just sticking in some feathers because it looks cool (like I'm sure some people do). I think more people would disagree with just wearing something for the cool look of standing out.

gowahneh · 04-18-2007, 10:42 AM

Cornplanter, old Seneca leader, had a gustoweh with an ostrich feather. His didn't look too bad. If I were to make one, I'd probly try and fashion it after his.

J.L. Benet · 01-01-2008, 07:47 PM

Here is what I came up with (sans feathers)

What do you think? What do you think about adding a black ostrich feather? I also have (neonish) blue and purple ostrich feathers, as well as plenty of turkey feathers from the same bird as the wing-fan.

sookout sh'nob · 01-08-2008, 09:50 PM

Put it on the cat's head! Seriously - maybe even back at an angle.

Also - nice color balance,looks sharp and shows a solid design aesthetic.

OwlsBrother · 01-09-2008, 12:35 AM

Im liking it! Looking good Brother!

Blackbear · 01-09-2008, 03:26 AM

I think I'd like it better without the bobcat face on it.. but if it pleases you... then wear it that way. The color scheme is awesome though. I really like that bright blue in contrast with the black.... quite stunning.

smoke_dancer_20 · 01-09-2008, 06:26 PM

Dude! your Belt is tied on the wrong side! that is the way we dress our people when they pass on.
I also like the colors! im just not too sure about the cat mask !!!?

but then again your the one that has to wear it ! NOT ME!! j/k

J.L. Benet · 01-09-2008, 07:46 PM

The way I was told, that's the side you tie your sash when you're at war. Since we are still over in Iraq and Afghanistan, I wear it tied on the left in recognition of that.

The bobcat is my personal totem, so I thought I'd incorporate that into the regalia. I had a dream about the hat that looked like that, and I tried to reproduce what I saw in the dream.

12-18-2006, 01:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
J.L. Benet Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 81	Quebecois Gustoweh I am making new tradish regalia. I'd like to recognize both sides of my mixed heritage. One way I was thinking was to put an dyed ostrich plume in the gustoweh. The ostrich plume was a signifer that the wearer was a hivernant, a person (often of mixed blood) who lived in the wilderness and did not go to Montreal to winter. I tried this, but it just looks garish and out of place. I've tried it in place of the eagle feather, and mixed in with the turkey feathers. Does anyone have any ideas on how I could do it, without it looking bad? Another idea I had was to build a gustoweh around a toque, or just the single feather in the toque (to signify that I'm Seneca). __________________ J.L. Benet Last edited by J.L. Benet; 12-31-2007 at 02:18 PM.

12-19-2006, 04:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
Blackbear Gone Fishing Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,522	Well... when the colonists first came, it was'nt uncommon to see some iroquois wearing the turban type gustowehs with an ostrich plume. That was kinda a look among alot of eastern tribes down the coast actually. I'm sure you've seen the paintings of Oceola right? I'm sure it did look odd in the gustoweh though.... I'm trying to picture it and it just doe'snt picture right LOL! __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...Video002-1.flv

04-02-2007, 04:47 AM	#4 (permalink)
Blackbear Gone Fishing Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,522	How about not wearing a gustoweh but instead wear scalp feathers or one of the small round roaches? __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...Video002-1.flv

04-04-2007, 12:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tom Iron Eagle Teen Dancer Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 370	Ostrich Feathers Hey, J.L., Blackbear has it pretty much on the head - But many Tribes long before the time of Osceola used and wore all kinds of the exotic feathers from the Europeans - this included Ostrich. The Ostrich feathers were used almost immediatley since White Contact in the 16th Century (many years before Osceola) all up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Evidence even shows that these excotic feathers along with others like pheasant, magpie, makaw and more were used by Tribes from the Atlantic to the Pacific as early as the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. I say still use the Ostrich feather, but have it off to the side of the gustoweh and pointing down as more of an accent feather. I have seen this done and it looks really cool. So do some trail and error and see what you come up with.

01-01-2008, 07:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
J.L. Benet Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 81	Here is what I came up with (sans feathers) What do you think? What do you think about adding a black ostrich feather? I also have (neonish) blue and purple ostrich feathers, as well as plenty of turkey feathers from the same bird as the wing-fan. __________________ J.L. Benet

03-30-2007, 09:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
oufeehc ???????? Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: santa fe Posts: 76	that's what i was thinking of doing, actually. well, not with the ostrich feather, but down here, the pueblos wear a small bunch of parrot feathers on their heads, and since were pueblo, my brother was thinking about putting that on his gustoweh, instead of any eagle feathers, in order to not be mistaken to be one of those tribes that smoke dance.

04-04-2007, 07:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
eap7 ~Erica~ Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 1,225 Blog Entries: 5	My opinion is, that if you do something that isn't generally done, it will look "weird" in that it doesn't look like what everyone else is wearing. So if you wear an ostrich feather, JL Benet, or parrot feathers oufeehc, then people might question you about it because to them its different. But I think given that you have reasons to do it then its different than just sticking in some feathers because it looks cool (like I'm sure some people do). I think more people would disagree with just wearing something for the cool look of standing out.

04-18-2007, 10:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
gowahneh Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Allegany NY Posts: 11	Cornplanter, old Seneca leader, had a gustoweh with an ostrich feather. His didn't look too bad. If I were to make one, I'd probly try and fashion it after his.

01-08-2008, 09:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
sookout sh'nob Boogie Monster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 511	Put it on the cat's head! Seriously - maybe even back at an angle. Also - nice color balance,looks sharp and shows a solid design aesthetic.

01-09-2008, 12:35 AM	#10 (permalink)
OwlsBrother Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 27	Im liking it! Looking good Brother!

01-09-2008, 03:26 AM	#11 (permalink)
Blackbear Gone Fishing Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,522	I think I'd like it better without the bobcat face on it.. but if it pleases you... then wear it that way. The color scheme is awesome though. I really like that bright blue in contrast with the black.... quite stunning. __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...Video002-1.flv

01-09-2008, 06:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
smoke_dancer_20 yohoh-yo:yanehiyo-ohho-!! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ohswe:ge^ "Six Nations rez" Posts: 327	Dude! your Belt is tied on the wrong side! that is the way we dress our people when they pass on. I also like the colors! im just not too sure about the cat mask !!!?but then again your the one that has to wear it ! NOT ME!! j/k __________________ -[]-[ ]-/\-[ ]-[]-

01-09-2008, 07:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
J.L. Benet Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 81	The way I was told, that's the side you tie your sash when you're at war. Since we are still over in Iraq and Afghanistan, I wear it tied on the left in recognition of that. The bobcat is my personal totem, so I thought I'd incorporate that into the regalia. I had a dream about the hat that looked like that, and I tried to reproduce what I saw in the dream. __________________ J.L. Benet