North American Indians of the Plains . ach design maybe found upon the moccasins in a single tribe, thetendencies are always toward a few tribal types. Arapaho predominate in longitudinal stripes(Fig. 45, a-d), the Dakota in definite figures (f, g, , o), the Blackfoot in U-shaped figures (k . designs will be found upon leggings, bags,and pouches. All these designs may be resolved intosimple geometrical elements or patterns (Fig. 46). DEI l >H \ ll\ I \K r 129 Here also, tribal preferences are to be found. Therawhide paintings are also geometric and though thedesi
North American Indians of the Plains . ach design maybe found upon the moccasins in a single tribe, thetendencies are always toward a few tribal types. Arapaho predominate in longitudinal stripes(Fig. 45, a-d), the Dakota in definite figures (f, g, , o), the Blackfoot in U-shaped figures (k . designs will be found upon leggings, bags,and pouches. All these designs may be resolved intosimple geometrical elements or patterns (Fig. 46). DEI l >H \ ll\ I \K r 129 Here also, tribal preferences are to be found. Therawhide paintings are also geometric and though thedesigns first appear quite complex, they can readilybe resolved into triangles and rectangles. Anotherpoint of special interest is that some tribes give theseconventionalized designs a symbolic value. This isparticularly true of the Arapaho. Thus Fig. 47 shows a moccasin which is beadedaround the edges, but has its front surface traversedby a number of quilled lines. The white bead workrepresents the ground. Green zigzag lines upon it are. Fig. 47. Arapaho Moccasin with Symbolic Decoration. snakes. The quilled lines represent sweathouse lines are red, blue, and yellow, and the colorsrepresent stones of different colors, used for producingsteam in the sweathouse. At the heel of the moccasin,which is not shown in the figure, are two small greensquares. These represent the blankets with whichthe sweathouse is covered. The design of a snake was embroidered on thismoccasin in order that the child wearing it might notbe bitten by snakes. The symbols referring to the 130 INDIANS OF THE PLAINS sweat house were embroidered on the moccasin inorder that the child might grow to the age at which thesweat house is principally used; namely, old age. The Dakota also have interpretation- for theirdesigns but seemingly to a less degree than t he other tribes, occasional cases of symbolismhave been reported. In the Museum collections is apair of moccasins from the Plains-Oji
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectindiansofnorthameric
