Shield Warrior Society

[pascal]

Hey guys i was researching about the Cheyenne Shield Warrior (or Red Shield) Society. I wasn't able to find any valuable sources and was wondering if you know any?

[Gary]

I think that Dorsey has some information on the Red Shield Society in 'The Cheyenne Indians - The Sun Dance'.

[ouroboros]

Aug 22, 2021 14:06:43 GMT -5 Gary said:

I think that Dorsey has some information on the Red Shield Society in 'The Cheyenne Indians - The Sun Dance'.

True, George A. Dorsey, Cheyenne, vol. 1, Social Organization, gives a description on pp. 16-8. I copied the fragment:

The Red-Shield society has one chief, called “War-chief of the Red-Shield Warriors.” He has seven assistant war-chiefs, who are officers and councilors of the society and under whom are from one hundred to two hundred warriors. They select four maidens whom they admit into their society. These maidens, who are usually the daughters of chiefs, are not permitted to marry any of the members of their society and are called by the warriors “sisters.” These women occupy a place in the center of the council circle. When the society gives a dance in the open air the maidens continuously dance in front of all the warriors, beating upon drums which they carry. Now the men trot, now they halt, and with bodies bent forward dance up and down, moving around, and now they hop and skip heavily along. As they dance each warrior utters a sort of gutteral sound like that made by a buffalo on the chase. The emblem of the Red-Shield society is the shield, which is round like the sun and painted red. Long ago certain medicines were applied to it, and the warrior swung it in a circle before the enemy, so that the enemy’s arrows would hit neither man nor shield. All shields have their origin in this society, for the shield was given them by the great Prophet, who also brought the medicine-arrows to the tribe. Each warrior of the society carries a red shield, as well as a spear, hence the name Red-Shield. The shields are made of raw buffalo hide, which is toughened by being suspended over a fire while it is yet soft; then a circular portion is cut from the region of the hip, in such a manner as to leave the tail, with its hair, intact with the circular piece. See Fig. 4. The hair of the circular portion is removed and the skin is tanned, with the tail left on. To test the strength of the hide for the shields, after it is tanned, the warriors shoot arrows at it. If their arrows bound back from the hide and leave it uninjured the hide is fit for use in the shield; otherwise, not. Whenever the warriors of this society congregate for a dance or to hold a council of war they are dressed alike.  Their head-dress consists of the skin, with horns attached, of the buffalo head, taken generally from a two-year-old. That portion of the skin lying between the ears and connecting the horns is taken. The horns are painted red, and in full dress the bodies of the members are also painted red. Each warrior carries a spear about eight feet long, with stone point, originally, but with a steel point later; the entire spear is painted red. The wearing of the buffalo skin with the attached horns and the shield from the hips, with the tail attached, gave rise to the name “buffalo warriors.” About their waists these dancers wear a sort of skin belt or skirt, worked with porcupine quills, and having buffalo dew-claws attached to it, to produce a rattling sound while dancing. Along the lower edge of the belt are fringes, some of which hang down below the knees. This skirt-like belt is worn by every warrior of the society, and is painted red.

Here is a link to the book, it can be legally downloaded: archive.org/details/cheyenne00dors/page/n7/mode/2up

[pascal]

Thanks guys for helping me put some of the information i already knew, but you also gave me some new one. The lonk the book will be very useful too.

[ouroboros]

I have looked for some additional infos on the Red shields society:

1) According to Grinnell, The Cheyenne Indians, p. 160:

Măhōhe'wăs, Red Shields; also called Bull Soldiers, Hotu'anŭt'kiu

2) According to the book Renate Schukies, Red Hat: Cheyenne Blue Sky Maker and Keeper of the Sacred Arrows, p. 185:

At some point in time the Red Shields faded out. The Southern Cheyenne founded a new society, the Omaha Warriors (dance society)

3) There is a Cheyenne tradition that Cheyenne culture-hero called Sweet Medicine organised the Red Shields along with four other societies

[zschippcher]

Here is the information on the Red Shield from "Cheyenne Soldier Societies" by Karen Petersen. The table is particularly interesting, as all the main sources are mentioned here.

Greetings
André

Attachments:

[grahamew]

The Peterson article: ur.booksc.eu/book/47823030/16fde0

[rodthomas]

grahamew, howdy! What can you tell me about the "Bolduc Ledger?" I understand it around about three decades ago and am trying to find images. Thanks and have a great day!

Regards, Rod Thomas

[grahamew]

Hi, Rod. Never heard of it, I'm afraid. Can't seem to find out anything about it either. Sorry.

[rodthomas]

Thanks...I'll keep poking around and let you know if I come up with it or anything about it. Hope all is well...and stay safe.

[grahamew]

You too!