Face Painting Traditions Among Native American Warriors

Every story has a reason, to begin in such a season, to express oneself and the galaxy.  Find the perfect resonance calling, that I may paint my rawling * (the soul is golden, dream wisdom of the fierce warrior, who stands their ground together, like a dog soldiers), the expression of my devotion to God (oneness of all life, relatives). I come to you dressed in fashion, my face makes a statement to speak of heavenly beings again.  Gifting what my treasures, to dance and measure, the greatness of divine of all things.  


I fly with the eagle (holy morning star) and run with the buffalo (four sacred directions), where green grass flows over rolling hills (spiritual embrace of rainbow colors).  And if I paint my shadow (soul), then all will be known, the paddles (guide my journey), will be used on the ocean floor, to drive back home, to adore.  Heaven gift me spirit, I bring my soul near it. I express my heavenly virtues under the sun.  Watch me dance now, with my face and brow, there will be actions, when the night falls. I am the painted skill of all (display God's glory). 


Heaven gather in me. Bring the dance and song, together. I shall shine this glory, with my ability.  And if my face is chosen, to represent the golden, then the rays of God's blinding light shall sea, bringing me back to harmony. The places I seek, is the heart of the meek, to bless the star of the divine. But if I must trouble, then I will surely stumble around the rock, and glide freely. For my dance, will set me twirling around thee. And relatives be sure, that when you fumble, get up and make a tumble, because it's part of your dance, don't you sea. Bring spirit to action (ascending flesh, liberty), make embraces mere impaction (descending soul, increases density), toward the living life of eternity.


Sung by White Buffalo Calf Woman, your Twin Deer Mother
 

* Rawlings, Raw, Ralph: someone who lived at a row (a hedgerow or a row of houses), from northern Middle English raw ‘row’, Old English rāw. Germanic rad ‘counsel’, ‘advice’ + wolf ‘wolf’. To read more about Brother Wolf and his fierceness! http://peacefulwisdomprayer.blogspot.com/2009/05/brother-wolf-speaks-warrior-freedom.html

This was first introduced into England by Scandinavian settlers in the Old Norse form Ráðulfr. This interesting name is of early medieval English origin, and is one of the patronymic forms of the surname Rawling, developed from the Middle English given name "Rawlin". The personal name was adopted from the Old French "Raulin", itself a double diminutive of "Raw", with the Anglo-Norman French suffixes "-el" and "-in". Raw "someone who lived at a row" (a hedgerow or a row of houses) was one of the many variant forms of the male personal name Ralph, in origin an Old Norse name composed of the Germanic elements "rad", counsel, advice, with "wolf", wolf. This was first introduced into England by Scandinavian settlers in the Old Norse form "Rathulfr", and was reinforced after the Conquest of 1066 by the Norman forms "Raulf, Radulf".

A Coat of Arms granted to the Rawlings family is per pale white and black on a chevron between three martlets as many crescents all counterchanged. The Crest is a black ram passant attired gold.  Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. Thank you http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Rawlings


Face Painting Traditions Among Men of the Plains
by Jonathan Holmes

While many of the traditions concerning face painting has been taught to me by northern and southern tribal elders, I prefer to maintain their privacy. Therefore, I have only used literary sources for references.

For years I have heard different generations ask about the practice of face painting by men dancing at Inter-tribal Pow-Wows or Formal Southern War Dances. So, in this article I will try to answer some of these questions. However, since this is sometimes a very complex topic, I would still suggest the reader do further study on their own, including talking with recognized elders within the tribal tradition the dance style and dance clothes in question may represent.

Obtaining Paint
The oldest materials used in paint were derived from animal, vegetable and mineral sources, with earth or mineral paint being the most common. White and yellow paint was obtained from white and yellow clays along river beds, and buffalo gallstones produced a different kind of yellow. Green paint was obtained from copper ores. One type of blue paint came from drying a certain type of duck manure, and some tribes would combine a bluish mud and yellow clay to make green paint. Powdered charred wood and black earth was used in making black paint.
The base for red paints, probably the most commonly used color, were crimson colored clay.
A brownish red paint could be obtained by baking yellow clay over ashes until it turned red.

A description of this is described by Frances Densmore in her work titled Teton Sioux Music,
“On the Standing Rock Reservation is found a yellow ocherous substance which, after being reduced to a fine powder, is used by the Indians in making yellow paint. This substance, when treated by means of heat, yields the vermilion used on all ceremonial articles as well as in painting the bodies of the Indians. The baking of this ocherous substance – a process which requires skill – is done by the women. First, the substance mixed with water is formed into a ball. A hole is dug in the ground in which a fire of oak bark is made. When the ground is baked the coals are removed, the ball is placed in the hole, and a fire is built above it. This fire is maintained at a gentle, even heat for about an hour, which is sufficient for the amount of the substance usually prepared at a time. The action of the heat changes the color of the substance to red. When the ball is cold, it is pounded to powder. In the old days this red powder was mixed with buffalo fat in making the paint, but at present time it is mixed with water. White, black and blue paints were obtained by mixing colored earthy substances with buffalo fat. The blue was found in southern Minnesota and required no treatment by heat, and the white and black in North Dakota.” (Densmore, 1918, p. 116)

To prepare them for use, most of the raw colored earth or clay deposits were baked and then ground into a powder. The powder was kept in a small buckskin bundle and would have been put into a larger decorated paint bag with other bundles of different colors, perhaps a bone or wooden applicator and a small mirror. When used they would either apply the paint dry or mix it with bear grease, buffalo tallow, or water to achieve the desired effect.

Because of the religious significance and the ceremonial uses many tribes had for red paint, the bright vermilion red paint offered to tribes by European Fur Traders was highly sought after at a very early date. According to J. Frederick Fausz, Ph.D., in his published curriculum for the 2004 course titled The Louisiana Expansion at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, he states that long before French explorers met them in 1673, the Osage had moved onto the central plains along with the related, neighboring tribes of Kansa (aka Kaw), Omaha, Ponca, and Quapaw. When St. Louis was founded in 1764, it is said that the Osage used their talents and knowledge to make the fur trade profitable because they were considered the best fur producers south of Canada. Therefore, the Osage received many European items in trade including Chinese vermilion (aka mercury sulfide face-paint).

Even among the Omaha, there is evidence that paint was obtained at a very early stage from traders, as evidenced by the following,
“Another saving of labor in comparison with old methods was involved in buying paints from the traders. The paint was sold in small packages not much larger than a paper of darning needles.” (Fletcher-LaFlesche, 1911, p. 615)

Older Uses of Face Paint
The painting of a man’s face and body among the Plains tribes during the buffalo days was said to be a form of mental conditioning. Warriors would paint themselves with personal protective designs and colors before they engaged in battle with an enemy. Hence the stereotypical term “war paint”.
This paint would have been prayed over. It was believed that prayers were put into the paint, and when applied, the power of the prayers were conveyed upon the wearer. Other times there might even be special songs sung when paint was applied. Some warriors applied the paint themselves, others preferred to be painted by a holy person or medicine man.

Frances Densmore in Teton Sioux Music again states that among the Teton Lakota,
“Little Buffalo (Tatanka-Cikala) was a man who ‘made medicine’ for the warriors. Using blue clay mixed with ‘medicine’, he painted a band across the man’s forehead with a branching end on each cheek bone, the painting being done only in war. Bear Eagle (Mato-Wanbli), who had been painted in this manner by Little Buffalo, recorded the two following songs. He said that the first one was sung by Little Buffalo alone as he painted them, and the second by the warriors after the painting was finished.” (Densmore, 1918, p. 350)

Face painting was, at other times, not connected with war preparation, as designs of various kinds were used to designate membership in societies; used when participating in ceremonies; used as marks of achievement; and used in morning for the dead.

According to Oglala Lakota holy man, Nicholas Black Elk in Joseph Brown’s work titled, The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk’s Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux,
“By being painted, the people have been changed. They have undergone a new birth, and with this they have new responsibilities, new obligations, and a new relationship.” (Brown, 1953, p. 111)

Returning warriors of many Plains tribes, who had taken scalps of their enemies, often painted their faces black before returning to their camp. It has been said that the Crow believed that a blackened face symbolically represented the fires of revenge that had burned out after vanquishing their enemy.

The Pawnee scouts would paint their faces white to symbolize the wolf, whose spiritual power was considered to be of great help for a scout. According to Fletcher; LaFlesche in their work titled The Omaha Tribe, among the Omaha,

“Men generally painted their faces and bodies in accordance with dreams or in representation of some achievement or accorded honor”…”Before the advent of the looking glass a young man was painted by his friend”…When going into battle, on the surround at the tribal buffalo hunt, when taking part in the Hedewachi ceremony, at the Hethushka society, and the Pebble society, the painting on their faces and bodies had a serious significance partaking of the nature of an appeal or prayer.” (Fletcher-LaFlesche, 1911, p. 350)

Further in this same work, in a chapter on the Omaha men’s warrior society called Hethushka, it states, “Each man painted himself in accordance with the directions given him at the public ceremony when he received his grade of war honors.” (Fletcher-LaFlesche, 1911, p. 461)

At one time it is said, the Omaha and the Ponca were one tribe. After separating they retained similar societies such as the Hethuska society, and had similar ceremonies for conferring war honors. An example of the war honors among the Ponca includes reference to painting in Fletcher; LaFlesche’s work,
“First Honor: To strike an unwounded man. The sign of this honor was an eagle feather worn upright in the scalp lock; moccasin strings made of the skin of a gray wolf; the upper part of the body painted black”…”Second Honor: To be the first to strike a fallen enemy”…”the sign of this honor was an eagle feather worn horizontal in the scalp lock; painting the body irregularly in black stripes”…”Fifth Honor: To take a scalp. The sign of this honor was to paint the face with a slight tinge of red and put black stripes across it.”…”Sixth Honor: Capturing horses from the enemy. The badge of this honor was to wear at the dances a coil of rope around the body and to paint on the body figures shaped like the impression of a horses hoof.”
(Fletcher-LaFlesche, 1911, p. 440)

Modern Uses of Face Paint
Today face paint is still used by many Plains tribes for a variety of reasons. Many ceremonies, such as Sun Dance ceremonies, Naming ceremonies, Society ceremonies, Healing ceremonies, and ceremonies for returning Veterans may involve the painting of faces in one form or another.

Some designs and color patterns may be “owned” by individuals, families, clans or societies. In some tribes the rite to wear a design and color pattern may be handed down from one individual to a younger relative. For example, an old combat veteran, too feeble to dance at Pow-Wows anymore, could give his young grandson the rite to use his face paint pattern and colors when he dances.

In some tribes, face paint patterns, face paint colors, the paint itself, and a possible set of protective prayers or songs, could be purchased from one individual by another. A young man might come up to an older man saying something like, “I remember you used to wear a particular pattern of paint when you danced. I would like to give you these gifts in exchange for the right to honor you by wearing your design when I dance.” It would then be said that he paid for the rite to wear a particular design and color pattern.

Some modern traditional dancers are combat veterans who wear face paint that they wore while in combat, or in a dream related to their combat experience, or as a result of their combat experience.
In both Ponca and the Osage men’s warrior societies, it is common to see men wearing protective red paint at the corner of their eyes.

For the Ponca Hethuska,
“The common face paint design for a straight dancer is a red line extending back from the corner of each eye for about 2 inches.” (Howard, 1965, p. 65)

Among the Osage Inlonschka,
“In modern times Osages use very little face paint in the Inlonschka. Usually only a streak of red one finger wide is used from the edge of the eye to the earlobe, a pinch of red is placed on each earlobe.” (Callahan, 1990, p. 112)

Often times among the Ponca and Osage, a boy or young man is usually painted for the first time by a relative when they are given their “Indian Name”, or when they are brought into the dance circle for the first time. Depending upon their age, the individual applies it themselves from then on. This red protection paint, is said to protect the straight dancers from harm while in the dance circle.
Other southern plains tribes have similar variations of eye paint in different colors and different patterns such as in a “V” shape coming out from the corner of the eye, in a “V” shape with a center line or also known as a “crows foot” design, or a series of small dots.

Lastly, whether you are a northern traditional dancer, a southern straight dancer, a fancy feather dancer, a chicken dancer or a grass dancer, and you are considering wearing face paint, the first question you should ask yourself is “why”. Why should you be wearing it? For protection; to honor someone else; to be part of your personal experiences as a veteran; or to follow the dictates of a dream or visionary experience; or to show family, clan or society ties. Once you have answered the why, then you can move on to the how and when.

References:
Brown, Joseph Epes.
1953. The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk’s Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK.
Callahan, Alice A.
1990. The Osage Ceremonial Dance, Inlonschka, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK.
Densmore, Frances.
1918. Teton Sioux Music, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin No. 61, U.S. Government Printing Office, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Fletcher, Alice C. And Joseph LaFlesche.
1911. The Omaha Tribe, Bureau of American Ethnology, 27th Annual Report 1905-06, U.S. Government Printing Office, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Howard, Dr. James H.
1965. The Ponca Tribe, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin No. 195, U.S. Government Printing Office, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Mails, Thomas E.
1972. Mystic Warriors of the Plains, Doubleday, New York, NY.

http://www.powwows.com/articles/?p=621&utm_source=PowWows.com+Newsletter

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There is a place where the Buffalo (flesh of earth, the light that grows, the four sacred directions, where we do) roam, and my heart does know how to roam, to be across the rolling hills, to eat of the green grass and know my fills. I am nourished by this love, the place, where I live inside the dark, the heaven calling, to fill me up. We the Rainbow Clan do know (how to drink from this spiritual cup), that we are part of this sacred show, where the Horse (soul of heaven, the heart that knows) runs wild and free, to be with Warriors, the Dog (rainbow warrior of prophecy who stands their ground) who bleeds (follows the red road, the law of love, where the fighting is for the unification of the broken heart, to bring the warrior up).

Letter to Arvol Looking Horse From White Buffalo Calf Woman

My Holiness  Arvol Looking Horse who Sits on Mountain Tops,

I am so angry with you, I could spank your bottom (slapping a horse will get him to get gallop as the horse represents the soul journey).  Fly like the wind, get going!  You who is to sit on Mountain Tops, and what do you see?  Nothing below is a flowing river, not even the heart.  (I'm in Mountain View, in the Silicon Valley - crystalline, or the stone river).

You were supposed to look for me, white buffalo calf woman, when the white calves were born, but you did not!  You were to go out to all women who claimed to be white buffalo calf woman, but you did not!  You were supposed to open your door to relatives, but you did not!  And when your gatekeeper came to your door (Eagle Thunder, a Violet person, the voice of God), in my name, you shut the door in my face and refused to see me.  And when I was the child, who searched for my relative, you did not, my Elder! 

And my doorkeepers Abby Quiver (Aqua person, Leader of Men) and her Mother Mrs. Quiver (Rainbow person, Rainbow Mother) both stepped away from me, in front of my face (they left the phone and denied that I was even there, literally).  And it is the Quiver that carries the Arrows (flies with the soul) (Abby), and the Salmon (swims in the stream) (Abby's mother) who returns home, both offered their hearts, then little by little just shut me out.  Not long, when I insisted they practice love, they both turned away. Unwilling to help a sun (Charlie Quiver Younger) and unwilling to help a brother (Eagle Thunder), Lakota my heart, why have you not forgiven? 

This is the child (young soul from heaven, the christal child), the one who sought my elders (of the soul, red man) and when I went to the Floyd Looks For Buffalo Hand, an Oglala Lakota (Referred by another who said he was a Medicine Man) who walks with you.  What did he do, but try to kill me spiritually, with two associates, but they ran for their lives as soon as his light was out.  They could not see me in the darkness, but I can see in the dark, numinous flowing.  I had to repay his kindness by taking his light, and then repairing him back to health, which took a very long week.  This is the greeting I received from my relatives, you forgot who you are.  You did not bless your people, like your soul knows!  You listened to your body, and did not walk the Red Road, the law of love.  Now distant relatives call upon me.  This day, I send word to the Blue Lake People, as Twin Deer Mother, because their body remembered to pray.  Their body, remembered their souls.  Their body was blue, my relative.  

Today, I found out that I am Lakota Sioux, my relative.  So many are remembering, but even I denied my own truth.  I do not wish to claim this hate.  I read what I wrote to another Lakota Sioux months ago, and realized the truth, to sea what I did not see.  There I was, practicing my soul, acting out my heart and learning without relatives who could have held my hand.  No one dare go against you, but I will.  No one never speaks against you, but I will. For you wear the crown of earth, the Lavender Person, and I wear the crown of heaven, the Crystal Person.  We are heaven and earth of the Western Shore, where the Spirit of the Lake arises.  Now I will sing to you.

What did you do, inside the blue?  Where did you go, but to the snow?  What made you stop your prayers each day?  For I can see so much hate in thee?  I know it's been a rough road behind, and I know that you are so blind, but this isn't sharing the fire of light, when you pray together with the pipe.  It was your job to bless every day!  It is your job to pray for all relatives each way!  It was your job to receive all the love you have inside, but you did not listen to the soul that you hide.  And I did wonder how you did it for so long?  And I did wonder how come you don't have a song?  And I did wonder who are you all along, if not a Chief who sings a song! 

My heart seems blinded by your hate, because you did not pray this day.  I know what you do, and I'm not so happy, when the people could be building instead of fighting always.  There is so much to do and so little time.  There are so many coming and I don't know how.  How will I be there when so many need.  I need my Elders to come home to me.  How do you think I will do it without you?  How do you think that I don't have a clue.  For I can answer all you have questions for, for I can talk to any ocean floor. There deep in the valleys where the green grass does grow, is where my heart learns to blossom and grow, but where is the stream that I am waiting for, if you don't start praying like you should this day.

Start taking that pipe out and pray like you should.  Start asking for blessings all hours like you could.  Start to bless all the people with each sound that you make, and stop making promises that you can't keep!  And start opening doors without money, for money is not the commodity.  And you know that the only thing that will help the people home, is love inside the heart to allow us to roam.  I say, I will be here when you come to me, but I won't be happy, to see you in the breeze. For I know how much hate that you carry inside of you, for all the Lakota are acting like you.

It's time my Brother to learn who you are.  It's time my Sisters, who will come far, for woman shall return to keep rule again, just as soon, as the crowns begin to roost (four directions).  And I say, there is much for you to learn, because you don't stand by a fire and learn, instead you wonder why they don't come talk with you, and it's because they are supposed to come talk with me.  You are the judgment of the people in their hearts.  You are the one, who should make the people smart (sting) and you are the One who carries the pipe that I sent, and now I must pray that you can start again.

Why do you hate almost everyone, even the Rainbow Whites who come home. It's time of evolution, now you're gonna use a gun (separation, division) and who do you think it will get all back together again.  It will be a white woman, who came to your door.  She is the Lakota that you wanted more, but you could not sea her because you did not see, the heart of a child, who looked up at thee.  Everyday, I cry like a child.  Everyday I wake up I see all your despise and I wonder how can they really learn to walk again, or even try to run over rolling hills once more.  And now the rolling rivers, the stone of tears, has come today to tell me there are no more tears, they shut off the valve where the heart can sing, no more tears, no more joy,  no song of joy!  How can you seem to live this way?  How can you all turn and walk away?  You speak as if you know the wind, but you just turn around and say, another day, another way, but you won't sing it clear.  Now we have much to do, I say hooray.  I sea how love could open all to sing, but we need more pipes who carry the wind, to the heart of the peoples, no matter what shore brings.

All over the world, the people need me, and I often don't know who are what can sing, but I follow the Great Spirits who guide me each day, and all who are loyal to the blue of the heart. I don't know how to end this, which way do I go, I know I love you more than even I could know, it's heaven that is pouring out of every cell, the heart of the people who so want to know more.  But now, I must bid you good night and good rest, because if you don't get some tired rest and start to pray, I worry for you deer (journey), I worry that your life won't last long with strife.  We must get the people to love each day!  We must get the people to smoke the pipe and pray!  We must have caretakers all over the land, when we send the heart of the pure out into the land. Remember they are called Rainbow Warriors.  Remember they will be loyal to you, and now they have someone who will answer their call, as so many are returning to my heart this day. 

But how long will it take for you to step my way?  And what do I say to hold your heart again?  Because I know that I will not be happy when I see your face, because you had forgotten to pray each day.  Sow my beloved, start using the pipe each day, and bless all the relatives each hour of the day, and don't forget to bless your soul, and arrive each day, for an eagle must learn to land, and look around to prey (find your stillness then you know what you are doing, you remember who you are).


Your devoted White Calf has come this day, and I will sing to all who come my way, and I will be devoted to all the suns, no matter who they are or what color they display.  Your Twin Deer Mother, she is the one you need now this day, these are the tools that the Great spirits gave, and I can say, I love you more even as I say, when are you coming home, my love, when are you coming home?

I had to learn to sing alone, and now I must feel like you, because you don't feel the blue, who need blessings from you...my tears flow for you!

August 31, 2009 White Buffalo Calf Woman, Elder Crystal Person, Wakan Iyeshka or Holy Interpreter

PS. Not happy with Floyd Looks For Buffalo Hand, a Proclaimed Medicine Man (His name too, says he is looking for the hand of god, which means he must do good works, I know he thinks he is, but not with separation.  He is the Violet Person, the voice of God and High Priest)  and Russel Means, a Proclaimed Leader of the Lakota whom go against White People, their father nation and relative also, yet offers his land to White People ways, in order he can control what he does not own (He is an Aqua person and Leader of Men).  Mother Earth owns herself and no Man owns any land, and it shall be Woman who claims the Throne for our Men.  We are servants to the World. Now I have so many Proclaimed White Buffalo Calf Woman, just because you did not go looking for me, in amongst the Stone River.  I must tell them who they are, as all is written, every story of eternal is written in your light, both numinous and luminous.  This is the Book I read, that only speaks TRUTH.  The fifth, the blue, commandments say, to Honor your Father and your Mother, your parents.  Great Spirit Mother and Great Spirit Father guides us to be good little children.  Not go against like so many Native Peoples are doing.  WE need our Father on Earth, the White Man, we need our Mother on Earth, the Black/Blue Man, we need our Brother on Earth, the Yellow Man, and we need our Twin Heart, the Red Man. My beloved, I know you did not sign anything with the IRA (Indian Reorganization Act), because I feel it in my heart.  Take your place as Holiness Arvol Looking Horse and all will be fine, when your heart is with mine, for you have lots to learn for all the world, as we bring the four corners home my beloved!  It is time to come home...over the rolling hills of time, whispering to us, come home...
http://www.whitebuffalocalfwoman.org/letter-to-arvol-looking-horse

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