quote:

---

Originally posted by North Dakota Mark

Sorry to intrude, but you might want take a look at the current issue of American Indan Art Magazine. There is an illustrated article by Dr. Christian Feest (Museum fur Volkerkunde, Vienna), about the new exhibit at Musee du quai Branley, in Paris - "Premieres Nations, Collections Royales". Fascinating images of items collected by Governors of New France prior to the Revolution in 1789. At least two great moccasin images.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by lonewolf

Bezahn (Greetings) Kitthane (Village at the Wide River),

Check out some of Robert Griffith's paintings. The Shawnee dress is accurate for the "Delawares" as well. They are our people. By the way, there never was such Native Americans as "Delawares". They are the Unamis (Turtles), the Unalachtigos (Turkeys), and the Munsees (Wolves). These three got stuck with the white name of "Delaware". To be accurate, don't use the word "Delaware". Those in western Penna. were the Munsees, those in mid-section of Penna. were the Unalachtigos, and those on the east coast were the Unamis. Be one of these.
The state of Delaware was named for an Englishman, Thomas West, Lord De-La-War, and the Delaware River was given the same name. The Unamis were living along the river and were dubbed "Delawares" by the whites. A misnomer, to be sure!
"Lenni-Lenape" is also a much misused word to describe these three groups, since Lenni-Lenape really means "Original People" who are made up of about forty distinct tribes from the west coast to the east coast, all of whom spoke the Algonkin language. This also includes a few tribes in Canada, such as the Chippewas and the Abanakis. And believe it or not, the Mohicans (our people) are still around. "The Last of the Mohicans" was only a fictional novel.
The Blackfeet and Cheyenne in the west are also some of our people.

The Lenni-Lenape are my ancestors. I am Kispokotha Shawnee; we spoke the Algonkin language, and we are also of the Lenni-Lenape group of Native Americans.

I notice that a large percentage of white re-enactors who portray our Shawnee people, as well as those portraying the "Delawares" (the Unamis, Unalachtigos, and Munsees), wear scarfs on their heads. I can assure you that the majority of us did not wear "do-rags" on our heads. Most of us had shaved heads and wore a scalplock on the back of our heads with turkey feathers tied to the scalp-lock. We also cut our earlobes and stretches them to accept silver ornamentation. Go to the Bushy Run Battlefield Museum and look at the mannequin dressed as a Shawnee. Like I said, few of us ever wore "do-rags" or turbans.
If you are not a for-real Native American and hold a Bureau of Indian Affairs identification card, do not wear raptor feathers, since it's illegal. They sell painted white turkey feathers that look like raptor feathers. Wear these. This will save you from paying a rather large fine or being thrown in jail by the Game Commission people. They go to re-enactments looking for these things. Wild Turkey feathers are alright.

We also had a stripe of red paint coming from the corners of our eyes going toward the backs of our heads. I dont see this at re-enactments. These were worn so that if we died in battle, the Great Spirit would recognize us as Shawnees as we pass to the Spirit World (the Grandfather Land). We wore moccasins sewn in a pucker fashion up the front, which identified us as Shawnees. You could actually tell what tribe an Indian belonged to by his moccasins. Never wear eagle bone whistles! A real Indians will confront you for wearing one of these, and they won't be happy! These are earned and sacred. They are not to be worn by non-Indians or real Indians who have not earned them.
Deer bone whistles are alright.

The Native Americans who lived at present-day Kittanning (Kit-hannee) were actually the Munsees, or Wolves. "Delaware" is not really accurate.
It's not an Algonkin word!

Good luck in pursuing your regalia (not costume).

Real Indians don't assign themselves "Indian" names; names are sacred things given to us in proper ceremony by other Indians. Names could also change during our lifetimes.

Please don't wear pheasant feathers (I've seen this at French and Indian War re-enactments), sin

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kithanne

The Chief of Kittanning in 1756 was "Captain Jacobs". His indian name was "Tewea". The massacre of the indians in Kittanning occured on Sept.8 1756.Tewea's brother's name was "Nometha".If anyone is interested in some history of the town of Kittanning I have some pictures of places around Kittanning on my website in my profile.Some of my information I found in the book "Indian Blood finding your Native American Ancestors" Vol.1 by Richard Pangburn.At the Armstrong County Historical Museum and Genealogical Society Inc. 300 N. McKean Kittanning.The Munsee Delaware language is almost non exsistent.Only a few still speak the language fluently.Some recordings were made in Sept. 1997.

http://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/voices/voices_gallery.html

Image Insert:

16.89 KB

---