Brooklyn Museum Collection

Hair lock bundle with beaded fob end.

Northern Plains area. The drum has a red painted patch glued onto drumhead. The design is a buffalo with a zigzag line around it but no power lines emanating directly from the buffalo. There are red areas of pigment on drumhead. Wool and hide fringe dangles from drum. Remnants of silk ribbons are attached with nails along the edge. It has a knot in the hide ties in the middle back. This was possibly made as a showpiece as would have been very awkward to hold and play. This is a drum that would have ceremonial significance These are specialized.

Central Plains. This club would be carried in dances as a something that gave status and position to a man for instance the Buffalo Dance Society. Should not have any restrictions as these were individual ownership.

Special Improvement Fund

Dick S. Ramsay Fund

This headdress is constructed on a base of red Stroud cloth, formed into a band and decorated with beadwork in a series of "filled triangles." Blue triangular outlines filled with white beads alternate with white outlines filled with blue. A line of white beads is also attached at the lower edge of the red band. Horsehair that has been dyed red is inserted on the top of the band and a ribbon, once green, is tied on at both ends for fastening. An ear lock of horse hair is tied with sinew onto hide thong and a fine crewel yarn cord is hand plaited at the edge where the horsehair is attached.

Otter skin tied with hide possibly as a pendent. There is no evidence of any scalp lock attached. Designation comes from original purchase book by curator Stewart Culin. According to Sean Standing Bear 10/24/2000) the hair attached to it is buffalo "fluff."

Dick S. Ramsay Fund