Honouring the horse

Dress Proudly

Traditional saddle and woven blanket Nlha7kápmx, c. 1900 Photograph by J. A. Teit Royal British Columbia Museum pn 6708

People were proud of their horses because of their speed, intelligence, surefootedness, training and appearance. A horse's appearance was enhanced by the use of paint, feathers, and decorated equipment such as blankets, martingales, cruppers, saddles, bridles and masks. Many of the objects used to decorate the horse also served to protect it in warfare, the hunt and races, as well as during large intertribal gatherings. The horse was clearly a "special being", or sunka-wakan (holy animal).

Omak Parade Omak, Washington, 1996. Note the deer design on the bag behind the rider. Photograph by Leslie Tepper, CMC K97-1890

Crow Fair, Women's Shell Dress category Crow Agency, Montana, 1995 Photograph by Morgan Baillargeon, CMC K94-1511

Tse-Tsehése-stahase girl at a Tse-Tsehése-stahase Sundance, 1913

page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | page 4 | page 5

Introduction | Dress Proudly | Horse Imagery | Horse Ritual | Adapting to a new way of life

Introduction | Buffalo and Deer | Dog and Coyote | Honouring the Horse

SACRED BEINGS | RANCHING | ENTERTAINMENT | RODEO | ARTS AND INDUSTRIES