Exploring the history of North American Plains Indian warrior societies, this book delves into their cultural significance, social structures, and the impact they have had on contemporary society. It examines the traditions, values, and practices of these warrior groups, highlighting their resilience and the enduring legacy that continues to influence modern Indigenous identity and community. Through a comprehensive analysis, readers gain insight into the historical and present-day relevance of these societies.
For thousands of years, Plains Indians and their ancestors have occupied the
vast region that stretches from the Mississippi river to the Rocky Mountains
and from the Canadian plains to the Gulf of Mexico. Through a selection of
objects from the British Museums collection, this book explores the world of
the warriors of the North American Plains.
Warriors of the Plains explores the art of North American Plains Indian warriors - weapons, amulets, clothing and ceremonial objects - with particular emphasis on their ritual use and symbolic meanings. Unlike most books on Plains Indians, which have a purely historical focus, this title examines continuity and change between historic warrior societies and contemporary Native American military associations. Originally set up as clubs to organize war raids and to police seasonal cycles of nomadic hunting, warrior societies today maintain much of the Plains Indians' ethos, vigorously reinforcing their cultural, national and ethnic identity. With a new approach to the subject, the author reveals how specific items and symbols - objects of 'ritual and honour' - such as the American flag, eagle feathers and medicine bundles have been used over the last 200 years, as well as exploring the introduction of new elements in modern ceremonial practices such as powwow dance competitions and war veterans' celebrations. Lavishly illustrated with objects from the British Museum's important collections, as well as archival material, this book features previously unpublished material.
