[AlArchie]

Finally found a photo to post of that calumet I made,and posted it at the picturetrail site on the Native American Themes album.
www.picturetrail.com/carvers-R-us

Al

Al, that is VERY cool. Tell us more about it - I'm not at all familiar with American Indian 'stuff'.

Teri

[AlArchie]

Teri, I won't pretend to be an authority on American Indian 'stuff', but as I understand it the calumet, or medicine pipe was used for cermonial purposes, to mark treaties or other agreements and to mark other significant or religious affairs. The ceremonial pipes were carried in otter skin bags, which held personal religious significance to the individual owners.

Less elaborate pipes were smoked 'recreationally', but not to the degree of current tobacco use.

I've done a little research into the symbols on the stem. The slash marks are coup marks, representing acts of bravery. They were also recorded on coup sticks which held an array of feathers, appropriately marked. Some for killing a foe, others for touching a foe in battle and NOT killing him, taking a horse, slitting a throat, entering an enemy camp, and escaping with oout or with being detected, and being wounded in battle.

The black dots with red centers MAY represent important meetings or associations. The stylized raised arms may signify a plea to ancestral spirits or other dieties. Ravens signify wisdom, cleverness, guile or even messages to ancestral sages.

The bowl design was my own; the bear is symbolic of strength, wisdom and inventiveness. They also were believed to be very closely related to the human spirit. If you've ever seen a skinned bear, you can understand that concept.

If there are any authoritative types out there, I would be interested in their take on these symbols.

I take no religious meaning in my renditions and develop and adapt them only as artistic renditions of a very fine art form from the not to distant past. The thunderbird mask was likewise an artistic replication of a native mask that I admired for it's intrinsic artistic nature, and although I have looked into the religious significance of that, I myself make no claims to adopt or proffer those beliefs. Only a great admiration for the artists' skill and interpretive nature of the material are meant.

Hey, maybe Soonie at wildwood can give us some insight!

Al

[Callynne]

Thanks Al, I enjoyed seeing your pipe and reading your reply to Teri. I think I'll have to add something like that to my 'to make' list, the hubby would love it. He has a tiny bit of Indian blood in him and always has been very interested in anything Native American. Callynne