OA Regailia

[Tindeuchen]

Our lodge is considering replacing our regailia. Does anyone have a good source? I believe we'd like to keep to an Eastern Woodland theme, since thats what our region would have been considered. Right now though, we have a jumble.

[OldGreyEagle]

Within your council, or at least close by, do you have any Native American groups who could help you? Explain what you are doing, and ask for their help. Most will be happy to help you both be accurate and with technique.

[Tindeuchen]

There is a Inter-tribal Pow Wow here every year I'm told. We are looking into that. Thanks!

[John-in-KC]

Our C-Teams over the past few years have made more than they have bought.

 

It lowers costs, teaches Arrowmen of youth and advisor age arts/crafts skills, and inspires youth to care for the gear.

 

My two cents.

 

ICS

[J-dawg168]

At a Fall Fellowship there was a class on Regalia making. Its more time consuming, but much cheaper if you make it.

 

For instance. My team uses black martial arts pants, black martial arts shirts with ribbon sewn on for ribbon shirts, and other accessories such breastplates made from leather strands, beads, and hairpin bone(plastic). The thing that will cost the most is probably headdresses.

[Tindeuchen]

I would like to see us make new ones ourselves. I'd need some sort of pattern though. I can't seem to find anything appropriate.

[BrotherhoodWWW]

You might give a call to some other Lodge Cheifs in your section to see what they use. The suggestion to visit with some local natives is a good one. Also if you can find an area museum that has exhibits of native american nature you could find what you are wanting. Take a camera, take lots of pictures, sometimes you can take pictures of pictures for headresses and hair peices. Take notes on the type of materials you see, i.e. leather, cloth, does the cloth resemble blankets? With these things in hand and mind go to a large fabric store and ask for assistance in finding a pattern for shirts/ pants. Breech cloths are pretty straight forward but the sizing may be regional in nature. In the area I lived while a youth the plateau indians (inland pacific NW) used two streched out hands width and the length matched your height. Pants were not normally worn bt leggings were. Shirts were usually made from whatever fabric the indians could find or leather, always tanned natural or white. Footwear was also pretty specific to area groups and differed greatly from what one would find in other regions.

 

Even though headwear was quite different the lodge chose to use a more plains style headdress for the 'mighty cheif' but he other three priciples had more tradional head wear more closely related to our area. In many conversations with native people it was generally learned that there were great differences between individuals in a given group. So some slight variation can still fit right with what locals would have worn.

 

IMHO it is most respectful to actually seek the advice of natives in your area that you will be patterning after. I'm thinking that I have read that somewhere in OA literature.

[John-in-KC]

You might check with some of the Indian regalia firms...

 

I've done well by Crazy Crow...

[ASM915]

Tindeuchen,

Where specifically are you located? The suggestion on contacting an area Tribal Council is good. Contact Jim Clippinger from the Tecumseh Council in Ohio. He is of Deleware decent and use to be the their Council's Lodge adviser.

 

His sister, Rene Dennison from Ohio, is a Native Ethno-Artist, historian and geneologist who travels nationally teaching classes and running programs on Native culture, art and craftwork and working behind the scenes with Native issues. She would be an invaluable resource when it comes to regalia. If she can not help you, she will be able to put you into contact with someone near your location.

 

Another source is Native Tec. Anything you want to learn about Native culture and art is there.

 

Our Lodge's CT and Council's camp honors CT use a hodgepodge of mixed up regalia that drives my oldest son crazy. They are set in their ways and change doesn't come easy.

[Tindeuchen]

We are in northwest ohio. Techumseh is to the south of us and is in our section. Thanks, that is very helpful!

[prof]

Tindeuchen,

Ditto what John-in-KC said about the Indian Regailia firms. The one my chapter used when I was a youth was named Grey Owl, although we ordered from Crazy Crow as well. They seemed to have kits for everything that you might want.

Also, check the local library for books on the subject. I recal one author, Ben Hunt, had written several books on making regalia. I don't recall what region he may have focussed on.

Some thoughts.

Steve

[ASM915]

Tindeuchen,

If you can take the guys to Indianapolis, go to the Eiteljorg Museum. Call ahead and talk with the curator. They have awesome displays of Native regalia. I don't know if you are allowed to take pictures, but it's worth checking out.

 

 

[Kimo]

Go to the website and find the upcoming pow wows in your state. These are gatherings of tribes from the local area and sometimes regional or national areas. Pow wows are always very open to all visitors so long as you are respectful of the traditions and the native Americans who go to them to celebrate their cultural heritage. Most of the participants are eager to share their culture with others if you ask them and show them you want to learn. Most also have selling areas set up where you can buy things - either completed regalia or simply the materials to make your own. Many of the participants buy things there to make their own regalia. Here is a link to the pow wow calendar website: http://www.powwows.com/calendar/displaymonth.php

[le Voyageur]

The problem with using Pow Wows as a source is that most tribes are doing pan Indian with a lot of Great Plains tossed in. To stay historically correct for Eastern Woodland pick up a copy of "Indian Clothing of the Great Lakes: 1740 -1840" by Sheryal Hartman....

 

You can order it from Smoke and Fire....

 

http://www.smoke-fire.com/

[ASM915]

le Voyager,

Yep, I've been to a couple of the want-a-be Pow Wows before. Actually we were at one where they didn't secure the US flag or the Eagle Staff, and both went down in the wind. Both were picked back up without a second thought, secured a little better, and continued on as if nothing had happened. That is why we usually only attend the ones on the Rez's. That way everything is authentic to that tribe, and the elders are usually more then willing to help the Scouts, as long as the boys are interested and respectful.

 

The ones run locally at the fairgrounds or neighborhood parks seem to be into it for the dollar. Cheap materials at way overinflated prices. And as you said, a mishmash of mixed regalia.