For our people who are blessed to have horses, we feel a deep sense of design and symbolism to honor them through elaboration, artistry, and mystical ways. Our artists find a place in the glorification of the horse with the use of paint, feathers, fringes, quills, beads, mirrors, and more. A horse dressed for ceremony or war would have be often painted. A favorite horse is dressed in beaded bridles, masks, breast collars, saddle blankets, and rump drapes.
The painting and the dressing of a horse is a creation of an individual’s idealization of self that aligns one’s spirit with spirit of the horse.
Ozana: Is there a place where people can purchase horse regalia?
Beverly: Because the creation of horse regalia is a very personal journey for the horse and rider, the availability to purchase regalia is very limited. Many artists are only making regalia for family and friends. I have seen horse regalia for sale at prestigious art markets such as the Santa Fe Indian Art Market, the Head Museum Fair and Indian Art Market in Phoenix, AZ, the People of the Plains Market in Rapid City, SD, and the Cherokee Art Market in Tulsa, OK.
Ozana: What is the significance of some of the painted signs on a War Pony?
Beverly: I would like to share a quote from one of my ancestors Tatanka Ohitka, Hunkpapa Lakota: “Of all the animals the horse is the best friend of the Indian, for without it he could not go on long journeys. If an Indian wishes to gain something, he promises his horse that if the horse will help him, he will paint it with native dye, that all may see that help has come to the rider through the aid of his horse”.
Historically, horses were painted for battle and traditional ceremonies. Some of the symbolism that I understand based on my research includes a circle around the eye to see danger, stripes on the nose of the horse to count war honors, hail marks to fall on enemy, circles around the nostril to smell danger, fire arrows to add strength for the horse, arrow on hoof for speed, thunder stripes for spiritual blessings from our creator, hoof prints to identify captured mounts, and feathers that represent escaped ambush. My Sister Valerie Moran painted our horse Star with black and white handprints to pay tribute to our cousin and all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
Ozana: Can you tell us about the significance of the horses on some of the dancer’s regalia?
Beverly: In the past and still today, the horse is identified as a symbol of power. Tribes who acquired horses became mounted travelers, hunters, gatherers, warriors, and superb horseman and horsewomen. The horse allowed the people freedom to trade, hunt, gather, chase down the buffalo, and fight enemies. Horses made the journeys possible to obtain valued goods and cultural treasures. Therefore, horses which were good riding horses were considered symbols of wealth, status and prestige.
Because many dancers, both men and women, hold the horse nation in high esteem and respect, they incorporate their personal relationship with the horse in many forms into their regalia. One of my relatives beaded himself riding his horse into his fully beaded vest. I’ve personally I have used the Lakota geometric design of the horse into one of my girls’ northern traditional buckskin dresses.
Ozana: And finally, you have two Paint mares. Why Paints?
Beverly: Back in 2014, after I retired from my career, I traveled back home to Standing Rock to attend a program called “Sung Nagi Kici Okiju: Becoming One with the Spirit of the Horse”. Becoming One with the Spirit of the Horse is not a horsemanship model, it’s a way of life. Our ancestors weren’t just good horseman, they were good relatives to the horse nation. It was during that time I fell in love with Midnight Dream. She was only 6 months old and she was calling out to me in a spiritual sense. I’ve been told by my elders, that you don’t chose the horse they chose you. A year and half later her sister Lakota Spirit (Nagi) was born and my family knew that the sisters needed to be together. The Stallion is “Walks with Thunder” (a bold Black/White Overo) has been described as a horse that a Chief would have rode. The Becoming One with the Spirit of the Horse was created by Jon Eagle, Sr. to create a path to healing for our people through the spirit of the horse. Our family is blessed to have created a relationship with two very beautiful paint mares.
For more information about Jon’s program please check out his website at www.becomingonewiththespiritofthehorse.com.
I hope you enjoyed this exchange as much as I enjoyed my day at the Gathering of Nations. Hope to see some of you in 2020.
Awna Bad Bear, Miss Crow Nation