In Native American communities today, powwows have evolved into multi-tribal festivals that take place all around the United States almost every weekend of the year. An essential part of the powwows, are the dancers. Each dancer is expected to know the etiquette, and rules of the powwows they attend, as well as the style of dance that they have been taught to do, or trained to do. One dance item that seems to stand out at a powwow is the dance bustle. Worn at contemporary powwows today, the bustle is worn by men, for a variety of dance styles, being constructed with a variety of feather choices.
The First Uses of the Crow Belt
Before the advent of the modern celebration known as the powwow came to be, each tribe had its own style of clothing and dancing that was to be used during certain times of the year. Not all tribes used what is now termed the feather bustle, also called a dance belt or crow belt. If a tribe did wear the feather bustle, not all of the male dancers wore them. Only a select few of the men were given permission to make, wear, and keep the feather bustle. The earliest documented use of the bustle was during the nineteenth century within the War Dance Societies of many plains people, such as the Pawnee, Omaha, and Sac and Fox. The use of the belt was a part of the Warrior Societies, and therefore, women were not among those that wore the crow belts.
The first crow belts had the carcasses of crows with wings splayed out and attached to leather or cloth belts, and tied around the waist. An appointed warrior or warriors would be allotted to use the belts, and all other dancers would follow the lead of the crow belt dancer(s). This dance was at one time called the Grass Dance, because such bustles were essential items used within the dance. As times changed, the dances evolved and morphed. The Grass Dance was sold and bought all through the Prairie tribes. The bustles where then used and worn by many men, and by a multitude of tribes. The ritualistic use of appointed bustle dancers was a phased out practice by the early twentieth century. Every man who could afford to make a bustle was able to wear a bustle if they chose to.
Examples of Bustles Seen at Powwows Today
There are dozens of categories and styles of bustles, but there are distinct types of bustles tend to stand out at contemporary powwows. The basic construction of a bustle is a rawhide backing, feathers attached to the rawhide, and fabric trailers that extend down from the rawhide backing. The first example of bustles discussed would be worn by what is called Men’s Traditional. It is a relative large category, and the butterfly, swing and u-shaped bustles that are used are a modern style that was first used in Oklahoma. The other type of bustle used in the Men’s Traditional is the feather mess bustle also called old style. The feather mess has circles of feathers connected to the rawhide backing, whereas the butterfly/swing/u-shaped bustle has the feathers individually attached to rods and rawhide backing. The butterfly/u-shaped bustle and the swing bustle has the same mechanics and very minor variations between the three. More often then not, the swing bustle is used most often with today‘s dancers.
The feather mess is also used for the dance style known as the Chicken Dance. The Chicken Dance is meant to mimic the movements of the Prairie Chicken. The butterfly/swing/u-shaped bustles can also be used for the dance style called Fancy Feather. The Fancy Feather dancers have two bustles. One average sized bustle attached around the waist, and another smaller duplicate bustle around the neck.
The use of the crow belt has kept its beauty in history, and fleeting memories remain to its once rich ceremonial uses. From one tribe to another, the rites and rituals were sold, and thus the evolution of the styles happened as another tribe ’improved’ on what they bought. The end result is the use of bustles at contemporary powwows. These powwows show the modern evolution of these early feather bustles worn by men of all ages throughout many Plains culture powwows across the country in both traditional forms and more modern forms. All men’s dances at modern Prairie style powwows are thought to have their origins from the first feather bustles used by the warrior societies hundreds of years ago.
Sources:
- Forsythe, J. Andrew. (2008). A Focus on Feathers: Sioux Specialties’ Guide to Feather Craft. Sioux Specialties.
- Hewitt, Rick. (1991). “The Bustle: Central Plains War Dance Bustles 1885-1920.” Whispering Wind Crafts Annual #4. Ed. Jack B. Heriard. New Orleans, LA.: Written Heritage.
- Hungry Wolf, Adolf. (1999). Pow-wow: Dancer’s and Craftworker’s Handbook. Summertown, TN: Native Voices.
- Jones, Craig. (2008). “Contemporary Northern Traditional Bustle Construction.” Whispering Wind Vol. 38 No. 2 Issue # 264. Ed. Jack B. Heriard. Folsom, LA.: Written Heritage.
Maureen Zieber - I currently hold a Bachelor's Degree in World History, and Women's Studies, with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Delaware, ...
