Native American bison horn club

[colin henshaw]

Hi

This piece came with an Oceanic bow I was after. From the photo I first thought it was a recent re-enactor's piece, but when it arrived I could see it has some fair signs of age and wear/usage. Stitching is of thread not sinew. Browsing the internet, I wonder if it could have been made for the late 19th century "Ghost Dance" ?

Does anyone have some ideas on this, information, references etc ?

Thanks in advance

[Battara]

You could be right. This does look "reservation" period to me.

Others may be of more help.

[Timo Nieminen]

This doesn't look like a weapon to me. Sure, some heavy thing on the end of a stick will hurt somebody if you hit them with it, but points and edges on the hitty parts are good, and this doesn't have them.

So dance/ceremonial/tourist looks likely.

[Tim Simmons]

Well it has clearly been handled a great deal. Not the best quality work. Must be a symbolic weapon for dance. It could even have been made by impoverish reservation Native American from scraps of trade goods for the ghost dance? why not we do not know? who would know one way or the other?

Another thing about Native American stuff. It does not always have to look really old. I add these pictures because of the large detail picture but could add many other pictures. You can see there is age but the items are not in tatters or heavily marked. Just something to think on.

From, The Plains Indians - Artists of Earth and Sky, Musee Du Quai Branly, SkiraRizzoli 2014.

[colin henshaw]

After a little more search on the internet, I found a couple of similar examples. The first image is from the American Museum of Natural History collection, described as "Ghost Dance Club, Ceremonial". Acquisition 1910.

Seemingly, one of the aims of the Ghost Dance movement, as well as the removal of European colonists, was the return of the vast herds of buffalo that previously existed. Perhaps this is the reason for the attachment of the two horns ? The regalia of participants also incorporated magical "Ghost Shirts" which were meant to repel bullets.

I suppose another possibility to be considered, is that the piece is a remnant from one of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Shows, which also toured Britain in around the period in question...

[Jens Nordlunde]

When visiting the western part of Canada some years ago, a friend living out in the country showed me one like it, and asked if I knew what it was.
I did not, but I took a few pictures - attached.
When I came back I asked on the forum what it was, and someone of the old members knew what it was. A kind of a war hammer if I remember correctly. He also sain that at a museum in Canada there was another one, which had belonged to Sittlng Bull(?) when he lived in Canada.

[Tim Simmons]

Only adding this as Ghost Dance was mentioned. I have added the text to show how impoverished groups of Native Americans had got. Some must have fared better others still worse. Making ceremonial regalia in adverse conditions could mean a deterioration in quality. So who knows? perhaps it could have been used in a ghost dance somewhere? Taken from the publication mentioned earlier.

[colin henshaw]

Tim, interesting drum and historical background. Thanks for posting.

I remembered this old newspaper cutting from a few years back that I had kept, regarding ghost dance shirts. Not wishing to stray into the area of politics, but as the Native Americans thought these shirts had protective qualities, they can be considered a type of "weapon" ...

[Tim Simmons]

Colin, I remember that being announced on the TV news. Avoiding politics, if it was from my collection, a very brave thing to do and I would have mourned its loss for the rest of my life. Which must have been a similar feeling for the recipients. I do not think the Ghost Dance Movement was the same for all Native American participants in the areas taking up the practice. So not all associated regalia would be created of as a weapon; yes I think the ghost shirt is as much a weapon as a physical shield. Whites at the time visited ghost dances as tourists and collected "souvenirs" would that make them tourist art????