Pipes & People, Red Earth Paint War Shirt

Pipes & People, Red Earth Paint War Shirt

This War Shirt is made with Red Earth Paint, Horse Hair, Yellow Dyed Quills, and Pictorgraphs depicting People and Pipes.

Native American warriors earned the right to wear War Shirts through great acts of bravery and deeds. After the War shirt was made, it was decorated in many ways. Strips of quill work or beadwork could be attached. Neck tabs or triangles on the front and back of the shirt were used on Plains Indian War Shirts. Rosettes are often found on the early shirts. Hair from human or horses were also used. Sometimes they were decorated with fringe to provide a flowing motion and a luxurious richness to the shirt. A shirt could also be filled with vivid paintwork or pictographic artwork. The great acts of bravery and deeds were represented in the artwork of the War Shirt.

Quill work is a nearly forgotten form of art among the Native Americans. It is one of the oldest methods of decorating War Shirts.

Earth Paint was also used in creating the magnificant War Shirt.

This War Shirt was created by Peter Gerek, Non-Indian