Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: docmann on June 06, 2014, 03:42:10 am
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Hello All,
I'm new to the site.
I'm sure many of you have noticed that at the front of many of the fletching on Plains Indian arrows is situated several long fibers. These are sometimes long pieces of the feather that have been purposely left long, and sometimes this is added material. It is situated just behind the forward- most sinew attachment of the fletching. I've not heard of a good explanation as to their purpose. Any ideas?
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If they were white it might have made it easier to track the arrow during flight so that it would be easier to recover the arrow if it missed the target. It could just be for identification or looks.
Grady
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What Grady said.
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Would it make the arrow quieter? Just a guess :-\
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Would it make the arrow quieter? Just a guess :-\
Possibly, but of all the originals I have ever seen in museums or in private collections they all had very low fletching. They tend to be quiet anyway. When I have left long barbs on the front of the fletch, they were still pretty quiet.
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My guess since most of the plains arrows had very low fletchings it was use to track the flight path of the arrow after loosing it.
Grady
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They look different then the one his buddy is shooting. ??? ::)
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Probably the same reason I did, it just looks cool.
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Looks cool. That's the reason. Well, the reason that makes sense anyway. ;)
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Thanks for the input gang.
Indeed. Their fletching was typically long (6 1/4" common) and cropped very close to the shaft, many 1/2" or less. It would no-doubt make the arrow more visible. I'm doing an arrow construction demo this weekend, so I suppose I'll put together a few like this and give them a ride. Thanks for the input and I'll keep you posted of my observations.
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I'd like to chime in if I may. For the lakota the long tufts at the front of the fletching were actually plumes from the eagle. The eagle plume represented the power of movement. Now combine that with the lightning groove and you have a deadly arrow.
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Anything on the fletching where a few barbs at the very front of the feather were left long and untrimmed?
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From what I'm told those were more ornamental than anything.
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Oglala,
The more I research, the more I'm thinking you're right.
Thanks for all the comments. Good site!
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They do look pretty cool, don't they?
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All the above, plus for the plains Indians, when riding along side of a Buffalo herd, with all the dust, it would show up in a Buffalo's hide, to let the shooter know he hit the mark, if it wasn't burried further in, but most of the Buffalo bows were very short, and light in poundage, they would just fill the Buffalo's lungs with arrows, till it fell. Very efficient method. But not for the faint of heart, Buffalo are not timid, and can be very aggressive. ;) Good luck with your project. :)
Wayne
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Having seen some of the damage done to 3/4 ton heavy duty pickups used in the Custer State Park buffalo roundup here in South Dakota, I can categorically say that anyone in a breechclout on horseback chasing buffalo gets my respect.
I wonder how many of them suffered PTSD later in life. Repeated exposure to high stress/high adrenaline situations always has some form of fallout. In our young soldiers returning from overseas we are seeing high rates of death from risky behaviors. It would be pure conjecture on our part to apply armchair quarterbacking to the scanty recorded life histories of Native American men from well over 125 years ago, but still I gotta wonder. Yeah, they grew up with horses, hunting, chasing buffalo, etc....doesn't change the biology of the human body. The more I know about their lives, the less I idolize it and the more I respect it.
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Also armchair quarterbacking, I would suggest that the genetics of the Plains Indians didn't lend itself to PTSD or similar anxiety-related diagnoses. I suspect, just like the short-neck giraffes, the braves who did experience this sort of thing were probably shamed and perhaps even ostracized, and would likely not assimilate well. The measure of a man, this type of man, was largely what he demonstrated in war or hunting, and when unable to perform in either of these arenas, he was likely not well-received. It's an interesting question, and no-doubt a problem that would most certainly rear it's ugly head from time to time just like depression, etc.
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Most of them didn't live long enough to get ptsd. It was a hard life, with gorging on food when it was plentiful, and scrounging for whatever when it was not. Arthritis, disease, extreme winters, etc. took it's toll. So I guess, like the food situation, when you were young and healthy, you enjoyed life to fullest in whatever way you could, and then sat around the fire, and relived those days, when you couldn't, and hoped the tribe respected you enough, and found you useful enough to keep you around.
Wayne
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I like the way they look. Never made any though. Might have to try it this year
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PTSD was and is a real concept to our people. However, we had ways of preventing it from manifesting into something unhealthy I.e. Depression, suicide etc. We had ceremonies to assist us. One in particular was a ceremony called a waktoglaka or telling of ones war deeds these were accompanied by songs as well. Furthermore, if a man was successful in battle and taken the life if an enemy he would paint his face black to prevent the spirit of the enemy from following him home. In our belief the soul of the enemy would follow the warrior home and harass him. To us this is what causes PTSD for lack of a better word. I also don't believe that we were always in a starved state and were always 'gorging' ourselves. In fact, our life expectancy now is low so what gives?
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As to chasing a buffalo off horse back young boys were exposed to the hunt so the shock of doing it would not be so great. But because we are a spiritual people we offered prayers before and after the hunt to keep the people safe. Hope that helps a little
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Good info Oglala Bowyer. You're awesome!
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In fact, our life expectancy now is low so what gives?
You and I know it isn't from eating too much lean meat like buffalo.
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Totally for decoration And the " lightning" groove was only to help keep the shaft stay straight. Nothing to do with mythical power. The wavy grooves are seen throughout the plains and for sure help keep the shafts from warping as bad.
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Eric I'm only talking about the lakota peoples belief with the lightning groove and for us is not a bunch of mythical Mumbo jumbo. Now I can't speak about the southern plains view/belief about the groove so I'll defer that to you. Additionally, i do agree that they help maintain the arrows straightness.