Lakota Bows

[Diane Merkel]

The bow, a finely crafted but almost indiscrete object, functional, but without vivid ornamentation, served to enable that way of life. With its fluid double-curved design, its beauty was vested in its power. As a tool essential in pre-reservation life, a Lakota bow needed the capacity and strength to allow hunters to bring buffalo back to the waiting encampment of families. The bow provided a means of nourishing the people. As Diane Crow Dog, an elder from Rosebud explains, the bow was a blessing, not a weapon, a survival kit, a caretaker, which helped sustain and maintain life for generations. In Lakota accounts of creation, the bow was given to the people when they were led by the wolf from the subterranean cavern into this world where survival required knowledge of how to hunt–and also an ability to defend the people.

A hunting tool and a weapon of war, the bow could sustain life and also take it away. Black Elk, an Oglala from Pine Ridge, spoke of this in the account of his life that he related to John Neihardt. At the age of nine, he was given a vision where at one point the first Grandfather of the westerly direction put a bowl of water in one hand and a bow in the other, the one the power to make live, the other the power to take life away.

Article: www.sfmission.org/museum/exhibits/bowsandarrows/signatures.html

[clw]

Also, in On Behalf of the Wolf and the First Peoples, by Joseph Marshall, III there is a wonderful chapter "On Making a Bow" where he tells how he learned the art from his grandfather and describes the meaning of the process.

I have a Lakota horse bow made from Osage orange, just my size as it was made for me with a 25 lb pull. It's a beautiful thing. I have some handmade ash arrows too, but I'm afraid to risk using them so I use modern target arrows. I can hit the broadside of a barn on a good day.

[Diane Merkel]

Joe and his son made a nice video, showing such lost arts. I haven't looked at it in ages, but I remember being impressed by it.

[conz]

So who made most Native bows? Did Warriors make their own, or were there "specialists" in each village that made them for everyone else?

I understand that most of these were simple straight bows, sometimes reinforced, but perhaps a couple northwestern tribes had compound bows...is that right?

Clair

[Historian]

This link may be helpful.

Lakota Bows and Arrows in the Buechel Collection
www.sfmission.org/1_x/museum/exhibits/bowsandarrows/index.html

[lgarcia]

The Minesota Historical Society has the Gilbert Wilson Papers.
They are available on microfilm.
Wold Chief describes in detail how to make and shoot a plains bow and arrows, including the elk antler bow..
There are also a series of photos in their Photo collection of Wolf Chief with his bow and arrows.
Loui

[tgeorge]

The Traditional Bowyers' Bible, 4 volumes , has several chapters devoted to making bows of Native Americans.

The books are published by Bois d'Arc Press, and distributed by Lyons & Burford, 31 West 21 Street, New York, New York 10010.

Well worth the investment if this interests you.

[sun4us]

Also, in On Behalf of the Wolf and the First Peoples, by Joseph Marshall, III there is a wonderful chapter "On Making a Bow" where he tells how he learned the art from his grandfather and describes the meaning of the process. I have a Lakota horse bow made from Osage orange, just my size as it was made for me with a 25 lb pull. It's a beautiful thing. I have some handmade ash arrows too, but I'm afraid to risk using them so I use modern target arrows. I can hit the broadside of a barn on a good day.

In April 2011 I had placed an order with Mr. Joseph Marshall III. He accepted my order of a bow, arrows, bow case and quiver. I paid him $ 750 as as deposit. The last time I heard from him in September 2013, since then I have sent him countless emails - he prefers to ignore them. Now in the middle of 2014 I'm still without my goods. A not very wonderful chapter indeed! Be careful...

[dT]

thank you. very sorry that you had a bad experience. it is possible that you might still receive your bow. perhaps Mr. Marshall has had some health problems, or other difficulties.

Otherwise, you could start practicing making your own bow from osage. or perhaps order a good recurve bow from an established manufacturer. to tell you the truth - you are probably better off going to a good archery shop near your home town and looking at all the choices. they usually have a wide slection of modern compound bows and traditional recurve bows.

good luck!!
Pete (dT)

[Dietmar]

I´m sorry for your loss, sun4us,

but I´ve deleted your last post, because you´ve only repeated what you wrote earlier. Noone here can prove or disprove anything about your trade and the person you speak of cannot defend himself here.
Please remember that this is mainly a history site.

Thank you.