OsageWinds

I was wondering if you could have a roach for straight dancing that could be blue, or does it have to be white or red?

travelingmocs

Now a days you can use what ever colors you want in your roach. There is really no certin colors that you have to go by. I would stay away from neon green and pinks though. The red and white roachs were the only colors you were able to get back in the day. Now we have all thease great dyes for the deer hair. Thats what I have seen and have heard.......

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If I do not know the answer someone else will!!!!
Also forgive me, this system does not have a spell check so forgive the bad spelling

pawtoeman

Some Nations-Tribes, hold the red color on a roach to be worn only by the ones that have been in action on foreign ground. Now days some don't think about that and just wear what they want.

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this is all i have to say

CHEROSAGE

I'd say that if you want to have blue in your Roach then go a head. I agree with the other statements. What does your tribe have to say about these things would be my only other question.

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BOB

JWELL

where iam form the color red means they were members of a grass dance society (which no longer is since 1900) very sad , use what ever color you want theres only one person i know who owns those colors. have fun dancing.:D

Historian

In the old days when the Omaha and Ponca were one tribe the hair roach worn by Hethuska Society members was made from black turkeybeard hair and deertail hair dyed red. This red dye had significance to the purpose of the Hethuska Society in honoring warriors because red symbolized blood and spiritual power over enemies. Later when the hair roach evolved to become larger and longer with the use of porqupine guardhair instead of turkeybeard hair, the significance of dying the deertail hair became less important to other tribes.

Today, I would recommend that if you are going to have a traditional hair roach made from turkeybeard, that you stick with the traditional red deertail hair.

However, if you are using porqupine guardhair, the deertail hair can be left natural or can be dyed (in good taste) in a color that matches the color scheme of the rest of your set of clothes. For example, many straight dancers I have seen lately will coordinate the color of the dyed deertail hair with the color of their neckerchief and shoulder scarves. This makes a fine "set" of coordinated dance clothes.

Lastly, if you are dancing as a Straight Dancer as part of a tribal warrior society, you might want to check with your headman for advise before attemping any radical change in your outfit appearance, just to be on the safe side. There may be rules, traditions, guidelines, taboos, etc. that you want to be informed about first.

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"Be good, be kind, help each other. Respect the ground, respect the drum, respect each other."
--Abe Conklin, Ponca/Osage (1926-1995)