Native bow help

[Guessed]

I don't have much time I'm at an internet cafe right now. Anyway, my mother works for some Native police force in Ontario and got a hold of some exploration book from the time of Hudsons Bay when they were trying to get land around what is now Lake of the Woods/Ontario/Manitoba/USA border. As I was skimming through it I looked at the (fairly detailed) drawings of what some of their weapons were, how they dressed etc, and the drawing of one of their bows was interesting.

The shape of the bow looked short of "B" shaped. If you go to youtube and look at these "Korean bows" videos there's a video where the old guy strings it up and the bow has the exact same shape as the bow in the drawing. All I can find on youtube are these "primitive" bow videos where the bow is "only" a stick.

So, is it possible to get "just" a wood bow to get that "B" shape? Of were they using horn/antlers of some sort?

Anyway, I gtg, I'll be back at some point. Sorry if this is in the wrong spot.

[aznboi3644]

Yes...You can use wet or dry heat to shape the stave after floor tillering.  Or if your doing laminates you can glue in the shape you want.

[Pat B]

When you are ready to get started come back on and we will help you achieve your dream of building this type of bow.  Like aznboi said, you can shape your stave(future bow) by using either dry or wet heat. Your wood choice will determing which would be better to use.

[Marc St Louis]

Did it say in this book which tribe built these type of bows?  That region would be Cree/Ojibwa.  Certainly sounds like an interesting book.  Where in Ontario are you situated?

[JW_Halverson]

Unfortunately some of those old time illustrators took a few artistic liberties, weapons and clothing were often stylized to look more exotic. 

Many of us on this forum have collections of research on museum specimens and might be able to help you could post a copy of the picture of find a link to it online.  I'm always curious to learn more and would love to see this picture. 

-john

[Guessed]

The book was more of a report of something called "Ruperts Land," only the attendants of the meeting got the book/report.

The whole book was basically a shortened version of the reports the explorers for HBC made during their stays with the Indians. It was mostly Canadian reports.

I don't see the point in drawing what they were wearing or what they used only to make it something completely different.

 Anyway, gtg again. Outta time.

[Guessed]

Sorry for the terrible last post, I basically only had one minute of time left.

Anyway, the book from what I remember (I read bits and parts - "skimmed through") was mostly about Canadian explorations ranging from Ottawa region to the west coast and a little down into USA/Minnesota region and up to Inuit land, or what HBC tried to claim as "Ruperts Land." There are conventions on it apparently, that's where the book I read came from. My mother borrowed it from some Native cop but only had it for a short while. I went home for Christmas and that's where I read it. It also might even be available at the University of Manitoba, I remember seeing some sort of "crest" of theirs on it.

About the drawings though, the stances they drew them in were fairly "French," so I can see how maybe things might be changed slightly. The point is to show what they used/wore, to change it would be sort of silly. Although given we apparently "discovered" this land, (that was already populated) I'm not surprised things are a little skewed.
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Anyway, how does one make a bow that is that curved to get that "B" shape?
The shape in the drawing had this shape, roughly 20 seconds in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zh3IISBXSU

Is it possible with "just" one type of wood or do I have to glue/laminate 2 different types of wood? Any help at all? This thing got a little side tracked.

[PatM]

Wouldn't be surprised if the drawing attempted to depict a bow made with Musk Ox horn. As a kid I saw either a drawing or photograph that showed a musk ox horn bow with that profile.
 The area  would potentially supply that type of horn.

[JW_Halverson]

"The point is to show what they used/wore, to change it would be sort of silly. Although given we apparently "discovered" this land, (that was already populated) I'm not surprised things are a little skewed."

Documentation of native cultures for historical accuracy is a very recent invention.  Catlin and Bodmer were groundbreakers when they were hired to document the vanishing West.  And even many of the photographers that came west later yet to photodocument "the wild savages" brought with them trunks and chests of props and costumes.  I don't want you to think I believe all art of that period is pure fiction, but be skeptical of those things that cannot be verified thru seperate sources.  "Artistic License" has led to quite a few misunderstandings of history (i.e. Billy the Kid is a lefty because his pistol is on the left hip.  But the original tintypes were a reverse image of whatever was being photographed, he was right handed.)

A more apt example of artistic license is the symbol that was often engraved into European trade goods for the Iroquois Nations.  It shows a shield with crossed bow and clutch of arrows behind it.  That bow is a highly stylized Rennaissance "cupid" bow, the arrows just as long as the bow (or the bow as short as the arrows).  But I know of no examples of Iroquois cupid bows. 

Is there any chance you can get the title of the book and the author's name?  I have some contacts in the Living History community in Manitoba and I might be able to get a scan of the picture in question, as well as some research into tribal affiliation and possible museum specimins.  You certainly have our curiosity up over this bow!

[Guessed]

Heh, sorry it seems like the book and drawing are being  blown out of proportion. The drawing was nothing spectacular, the page was mostly text, except in the middle there was a drawing of a Native guy but they drew him in a "French" pose and the bow was the shape I've described. There was no real detail on the bow other than the "B" shape appearance.

After seeing some of this "Ed Scott" stuff on Youtube it could have easily just have been one of these "horse bows" as those have the same "B" shape also. At least I have an idea now of how bows get that curve. If it's mostly wood it's probably steamed, heated and pressed or tied down into shape and won't have that extreme circular curve that the Korean bow does. That's what I was mostly wondering, whether it had to have that much of a curve.

When I mean "B" shape I mean where the handle goes back inside and the uh, limbs curve out and the tips also seem to curve. As opposed to the "D" shape which looks like a big D.

As for the publisher and/or authors of the book/report I can't remember. The "author" might have even been the University of Manitoba itself. Now that I've got to thinking about it though, I wish I had it again so I actually read it instead of just skimming through. btw my mother had to give it back while I was still in Ontario, that's why I can't offer more information. My only suggestion is to email the University and ask about this "Ruperts Land report."

As for the bow though, I might try one out of a tamarack growing in a peat bog type area as they take forever to grow, and it'll probably be a "D" shape before I get into trying this "B" shape. I get the "gist" of bow making though. Just let everything season and cure and go slowly.

[George Tsoukalas]

I believe some of the Plains Tribes built gull wing bows that have the shape you are describing. Let us not forget that they were mater bowyers who made their living with the bow or used it for protection. Most of us are not at that level. I know I am not. This is  not a beginners project, IMHO. Jawge

[JW_Halverson]

Had to look up Rupert's Land just to help myself remember what all it entailed.  Not much, just all of Manitoba, most of Saskatchewan, the northern parts of Quebec and Ontario, and plenty of Nunavut (Northern Territories it used to be called), and even some of Montana, North and South Dakota and Minnesota!!!  It was owned by the Hudson's Bay Company and was sold to Canada who took over control in 1870.  That wraps up quite a few different tribes of people since it enfolds Inuit in the Arctic to the Sioux of the prairies of the Dakotas and Minnesota.  Couldn't find much about the Rupert's Land Report, but now my curiosity is really fired up!