Native American Women Warriors: Color Guard

Source: http://news.nativeamericanencyclopedia.com

Native American Women Warriors Mitchelene BigMan President and founder had created dresses to signify her patriotism to this great nation and the First Nations People. In March 2010, the dresses caught the eye of an elder, which was the time the group was recognized as the first all female Native American Color Guard. The name at that time was the Army Women’s Iraqi Freedom Veterans, because it started out as Army, but changed the name to include all branches of services. Since that historical moment the ladies have made special appearances as motivational, guest and keynote speakers at various events whether Veterans or Native in; conferences, pageants, training and Ethnic Observances. Native American Women Warriors still are given the opportunities to color guard but has grown to a non-profit, officially 1 Mar 2012. With the growth and changes, members had changed, but our recruitment efforts has blessed us with outstanding and passionate Native lady veterans and assisting us in our vision and mission, we have been blessed to have Sarah Baker, a member of the Marine Corps, join our ranks and has helped us tremendously. Our current board of directors are; Mitchelene BigMan, Army (founder/president, Crow), Arlene Duncan (Vice President/), Angel Young (Secretary/Standing Rock Lakota), Brenda McEwing (Treasurer/Dakota Tipi).

Indian Fashion

Source: nativeamericanencyclopedia.com

 Indian fashion was a very important part of Indian culture. Many wore different Indian fashion depending on what they were doing. During ceremonies and rituals, the Indians usually wore their best, more elaborate Indian fashion. But, everyday attire was not nearly as fancy.

The Muscogee, a southeastern tribe, wore very little clothing prior to coming in contact with Europeans. However, after the Europeans came, the Muscogee developed their own Indian fashion. The men wore deerskin breechcloths. The women of the Muscogee tribe wore shirts and skirts. Through the European traders, the Muscogee learned of wool and cotton and eventually began using those materials for clothing.

The Iroquois saw the European clothing and adopted it to create their own Indian fashion. The men often had rings in their noses, feathers in their hair, a cape, leggings, and moccasins.

The Tlingit tribe, native to Alaska, also had piercings. The men and women both had ear, nose and sometimes lip piercings. For ceremonies, their Indian fashion included carved masks and they wore colorful robes trimmed in fur. They also wore hats made of roots.

The Lakota tribe lived primarily in North and South Dakota. They were known for clothing that had stunning beadwork and designs. Their clothing, made from animal skins, was designed to honor the spirit world. In good weather, the women wore dresses and the men wore shirts and breechcloths. During the winter, they wore robes made of buffalo skin.

The Cherokee men often wore a short gown, called a hunting shirt, gathered by a beaded belt. Sometimes they would wear pantaloons, but the older men preferred deer skin leggings. Both men and women of the Cherokee tribe wore moccasins and often wore a blanket as a cloak.

Apache women usually wore a white dress made of buckskin while the men wore a loincloth. During ceremonies however, they would attach very colorful ribbons and tails to their buckskin clothing.

The Native American Wedding Dresses

Source: nativeamericanencyclopedia.com

In modern day American culture it is traditional for the bride to wear white, but when it comes to Native American wedding dresses this is quite different. Usually Native American wedding dresses are red or some other bright colors that are common among their Native American tribes. These Native American wedding dresses are also adorned with many different intricate designs and patterns that the Native American women incorporate when they make the wedding dress.

The reason that the Native Americans use bright colors is because white is considered a color of mourning to the majority of Native American tribes, and as a matter of fact there are many other cultures besides the Native Americans that believe this as well. Red is one of the most popular colors because it is considered to be a color that symbolizes good luck and prosperity. There are many other bright colors and patterns that are seen in these wedding dresses and each color has a special meaning to the American Indian people.

Not all Native American wedding dresses have to be colorful; there are many of these traditional tribal dresses that are made from animal hides and leather. They are then decorated with many different colorful beads and intricate designs in beads or embroidered into them. As with any culture, Native American wedding dresses are used for that one very special occasion- the Native American wedding ceremony. Many times these dresses will be used by more than one bride in any particular family, and they are sometimes even passed down from generation to generation, and this makes them even more of a family heirloom. The wedding day is a very important and spiritual day to the Native American bride and groom, much like it is with any couple who is planning on getting married. The Native American wedding ceremonies are quite different than a traditional American wedding ceremony as well, and among Native American culture the divorce rates tend to be much lower. There are many Native American tribes that still have arranged marriages as well, and this continues on since many American Indians consider their tribal cultures and traditions to be extremely important.