hat in
gleaming colours enamel the wide stretches of the plain. There are a
thousand leaves in every book, and with every book in nature's library he
is familiar to the point of success.

[The Song of the Arrows]

The Song of the Arrows

HIS ADORNMENT

To the casual observer the costume and character of the Indian all look
alike. The mind is confused amid a riotous and fantastic display of
colours. The fact is that the minor details of Indian dress are an index
to Indian character and often tell the story of his position in the tribe,
and surely tell the story of his individual conception of the life here,
and what he hopes for in the life hereafter, and like the laurel wreath on
the brow of the Grecian runner, they spell out for us his exploits and
achievements. To the white man all these decorations are construed as a
few silly ornaments, the indulgence of a feverish vanity, but they open
like a book the life of the Indian. His motive in adornment is to mark
individual, tribal, or ceremonial distinction. The use of paint on the
face, hair, and body, both in colour and design, generally has reference
to individual or clan beliefs, or it indicates relationship, or personal
bereavement, or is an act of courtesy. It is always employed in
ceremonies, religious and secular, and is an accompaniment of gala dress
for the purpose of honouring a guest or to celebrate an occasion. The
face of the dead was frequently painted in accordance with tribal or
religious symbolism. Paint is also used on the faces of children and
adults as a protection from wind and sun. Plucking the hair from the face
and body is a part of the daily program. The male Indian never shaves and
the beard is a disgrace. A pair of tweezers becomes his razor. Sweet
grasses and seeds serve as a perfume. Ear ornaments are a mark of family
thrift, wealth or distinction, and indicate honour shown to the wearer by
his kindred.

Among the Plains Indians the milk teeth of the elk were the most costly
adornments. They were fastened in rows on a woman's tunic and represented
the climax of Indian fashion, the garment possessing a value of several
hundred dollars. Head bands, armlets, bracelets, belts, necklaces, and
garters of metal and seeds and embroidered buckskin were in constant use.
They were not only decorative but often symbolic. Archaeological
testimony