Feathers...Whats on your arrows ?

[Andrea S]

Bob...I don't mean to sound ornery, but Indians didn't name themselves Indians anymore than they named themselves Native Americans. Even tribes like the Gros Ventre aren't properly named..."Gros Ventre" is French for "Big Belly", which was a misunderstanding of the sign-language term for their people. Their true name is "A'aninin" (spelling varies) which means "White Clay People". But they still refer to themselves as Gros Ventre. I think the general idea is that none of the names were given in bad taste or with intention to insult, so all of them can be used without prejudice or worry about being "politically correct".

[hawkbow]

Sorry you got your feelings hurt again Bob, You know I was raised Lakota and meant no disrespect. If any "white eye" respects and honors the way of the native peoples of this continent it is me... My family and best friends are Native american. Hawk   

[El Destructo]

Leave it to a College Girl to say it straight.....Thanks Andrea....Hawk and I were both raised with the Morals and respect of the ....here we go....Native American Tribes.....I would no more Disrespect them on Purpose...than I would my Mother......I was brought up Better than that!!!

                                                         Gichi-Miigwech Andrea

[Coo-wah-chobee]

The term that we use fer the foks that were here LONG before the soceity that rules now is a modern one as Andrea says that is used ta be understood by each other. Andrea would you rather I use what we call ourselves and then there are 1000's of descriptions ? I coulnd't give a damm less about "politically correct !"Sorry Andrea, ALL the names cannot be used without insult. Mike (Hawkbow ) my feelings arent hurt. I am not that thin-skinned and I am used ta it by now. I dont think y'all meant ta insult rather a poor choice of words typed. I believe Hawkbow but Mike ( El Destructo ) how would you know what Hawkbow's intention was  and feel comfortable speakin' fer him ? Andrea, ya need ta learn more about "Indians " and NOT from a book ifn ya interested. I think you will find the written literature is often at odds (BIG TIME ) with what ya hear and perhaps yer personal take on it. You might even think its slanted........bob

[Andrea S]

Well, my professor, Walter Fleming, who is registered with the Kickapoo tribe and is head of the Department of Native American Studies here at Montana State University said it in a way that seemed most pragmatic to me. He said, (paraphrased a bit) "You'll hear me say Indian, Native American, tribespeople, Crow, American Indian, Cheyenne, and all of that. There's a lot of tip-toeing people do over which term is best to be used. As long as you don't call me a wagon-burning savage, it doesn't matter what term you use."  That seems to make the most sense, because I personally think the lengths to which people tend to take "political correctness" is just stupid.

Please don't take anything of what I've said in a negative light. The transition I made from Chicago to Montana in terms of being exposed to native cultures is an eye-opening and awesome one. I have absolutely nothing but respect for American Indian cultures. The only thing that bothers me is the whole polygamy deal, and some of the ways women were regarded. But I'm female, and that's generally my prerogative, even though I would call myself much more of a traditional gal than a raging feminist. Whole 'nother can of worms.

I've got to go throw some thin-cut sammich steaks in a bit of marinade for tomorrow's dinner, and then get ready to go to the MSU Pow-wow, incidentally. I went yesterday as well, and spent a good amount of time having meaningful conversations with the parties involved. I'll have some amazing pictures to share with you folks later.

[hawkbow]

Andrea, you just had to bring up the thin cut steaks...it is official you have made the transition to a full fledged PA gal.. you brought up food on a post about feathers.. ;)Hawk

[Andrea S]

Ohhh, you betcha...wanna know the recipe!? It's a super manly sammich...recipe courtesy my better half.

Get some thin cut steaks (skirt, flank, whichever's in the store) and marinate them overnight in your favorite tenderizing marinade. When it comes time to cook dinner, sautee the steak in minced garlic, butter, and pepper. Use the same pan (it's tastier) to sautee up some mushrooms and onions. Then, boil up some potatoes 'till they're mashable. Mash them in a bowl with very generous helpings of sour cream, buttermilk, and cheese, along with a bit of pepper and seasoned salt to taste, until the potatoes are super creamy. Take a nice kaiser/sourdough/italian type sandwich roll (the long kind, not the round kind), open it up and lay it on a cookie sheet. Lightly butter both halves of the bread and on one half, take a good helping of your favorite cheese and lay it on. Place it under the broiler in your oven until the cheese is melty and the bread is toasty. Then, spread the yummy creamy potato mixture on the bread, lay the steak on that, and spoon yourself some onions and mushrooms overtop the steak, close up the bread, and ENJOY! It's a meal on a bun, yum yum.

[stiknstring]

Bob you have got to be the crankiest man I know.

[Coo-wah-chobee]

Bob you have got to be the crankiest man I know.

                                                                                                                                                                                            Your post says a lot about you. You suggested once before that I was "ignorant." You dont know me and I am not interested in your opinion of my demeanor. Keep it ta yerself from now on . Clear enuf ? Old saying "engage brain before putting mouth in gear "( in this case fingers on keyboard ).......bob

[mullet]

     I live in the South, And one of my friends is Black, really.

[Andrea S]

*sigh* how off-track we've become... 

*grabs a thick rope to rein things in again*

SOOOO...

Has anyone put pheasant feathers on an arrow before? They have some neat patterning.

[El Destructo]

   Nope......and I havent tried Pigeon Feathers either.....but why would I when I have Bags of fresh Turkey Feathers waiting!!!!

                                                                                 

[hawkbow]

I have tried every kind of feather there is available at one time or another.. Turkey and goose feathers seem to be the best but flicker feathers make a cool looking arrow..Hawk Yankee, you should have a house full of turkey feathers by now brother, with all the turkeys you have harvested.  Hawk a/ho

[El Destructo]

Yankee, you should have a house full of turkey feathers by now brother, with all the turkeys you have harvested.  Hawk a/ho

                                        You want to trade? I have 1 Gallon Baggies full of them in the Freezer!!!!

[Sparrow]

 Yep ! Rooster pheasant wing primaries make very good fletching.good and stiff but not very tall,which really means you don't have to trim them.
 Bob,my remark about registering was simply a comparison as to the hoops and bureaucracy that one might have to jump thru to get anywhere.I was sincere about looking into my ancestry I just wonder how tough it might be getting registered,won't know till I get there,Eh ! Took me a year and a half to get one of my labs registered with akc because the line had been broken by a un-registered bitch. She was out of an old hunting line and pure as the driven snow but the akc was really hardheaded about it and almost made it not worth doing. No dis-respect intended.  I revere my grandmothers. (And grandfathers)  Frank