Pow Wow

Usually a loose fitting, wide-sleeved shirt is worn with straight dance clothes, although I've witnessed on more than one occasion, straight dancers in traditional Comanche style clothes, without a shirt. Derived f... Read more »

In early times both men and women of the Omaha/Ponca had their ears pierced for the first time at a very early age, usually about 3 or 4 years old, when they could walk on their own. Ear piercing was considered a “rit... Read more »

BEAD AND HAIRPIPE BANDOLIERS Men’s bead and hairpipe bandoliers are common to a variety of Tribal traditional clothing styles. A number of design options are available using the same stringing techniques. The exact... Read more »

Attached in the socket-like cylinder of the roach spreader, a single golden eagle tail feather is often times referred to as the roach feather. For many dancers today, commercially available hand-painted imitation ... Read more »

In the late 1800s, Ponca, Omaha, and Osage, as well as straight dancers from other Southern Plains tribes, could be seen in old photos, (see examples below) carrying a feather fan made from the complete tail of a gold... Read more »

For a number of generations, it was common for Northern traditional men to wear white Angora goat anklets with long hair below their ankle bells. In the 1950’s they sometimes made these anklets from yarn. Recently oth... Read more »

Porcupine quills were used by Native people of the Great Lakes area as decorating materials long before the introduction of seed beads by the European traders. This seemed to be true where ever this animal was found i... Read more »

We have looked back over the years we have been doing this and can offer a few techniques and planning ideas. The use of small metal cones as a decorative piece goes back to the early trade period when metal items... Read more »

Feather visors for Traditional Men dancers are worn under the front part of the Porky Hair Roach and extend out like a cap visor, but in a bird tail shape. They are made in various designs using tail feathers of vario... Read more »

Turkey feathers are naturally curved. To make them look like Eagle feathers it is necessary to flatten the feather quill without damaging the feather blade. In our example here we will use commercially dyed white turk... Read more »

This project uses the new popular hair clip as the way to fasten feathers in your hair. Small domesticated bird feathers can be used for the feathers. These are from farm grey goose. Materials needed: 2 feathe... Read more »

We are often asked how to sew ribbon, flat fringe, or yarn into dance outfits or shawls for Grass Dancing, Fancy Shawl, and other dance styles. The trend is to use these materials in very colorful designs. There are p... Read more »