"SORE BELLY" SHEILD PAINTING

"Sore Belly" Shield Painting  37x39

 

ARTIST: Cyrus Gros Venture

TRIBE: Apsaalooke (Crow)

 

The picture in this painting is of a War Shield that belonged to the River Crow Chief named, Arapooish, also known as Sore Belly around the year 1830. It was said that when he was a young man he fasted in the Crazy Mountains known today as Montana, where he received his medicine, the thunder. The thunderbird appeared to him in a vision and showed him how to lead a war party and make war medicine so his trail would be clear. This shield gave him spiritual protection and the power of prophecy. Apsaalooke (Crow) shields almost always came from the Above World, or the sky, such as the sun, moon, various stars, clouds, and also the birds which are very potent. When a warrior had a vision of his particular powers he would depict those powers on the shield.