Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!
I wanted to share a bit of history about the American Indian "Sash Bearers" and what that means. I know the Lakota Sioux and the Cheyenne both had these positions of honor in their tribes and I assume others did as well.
In the warrior tribes of the Plains Indians courage was the most important aspect of character, especially PROVEN bravery in battle. So in the Lakota and Cheyenne cultures it was a great honor for a warrior to be chosen as the Sash Bearer.
An honor that could get you killed
The Sash Bearer was the bravest of the brave and would stake himself to the ground in the middle of an important battle and either fight until the tribe was victorious, or fight to the death, or until another tribe member released him.
In the last scenario, maybe to retreat when the odds are overwhelming? Probably not, but that's my thinking. Sometimes it's wise to accept defeat and live to fight another day.
The purpose was to attract the "heat" to himself...and to inspire and encourage his fellow warriors.
The great Western artist Zhou Shu Liang made a painting of the Sash Bearer which prompted me to do some research on the subject because I hadn't heard of it before.
The intense and magnificent "Sash Bearer" by Z.S. Liang:
source
The headdress was made of owl feathers because the founder of this tradition had a vision involving an owl being when he came up with the idea. And you can see in this painting that the warrior has staked his sash to the ground with his lance.
I think the tradition is incredibly brave and noble. I also think it's insane but I guess I wouldn't make a very good warrior.
That headdress alone would attract everyone's attention. I'd want to blend into the crowd a little more.
I really love the work of Z.S. Liang and will feature more of his paintings. He emersed himself in the study of American Indian tribes and his paintings are very historically accurate.
Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
Texas
That is an amazing painting,the detail is incredible and I totally agree that is crazy! No warrior blood in my veins!
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lol! Yeah me neither, I'm glad I wasn't born back then in those times, I'd avoid fighting like the plague!
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I have never heard anything like this before. Indians' views on life were radically different from modern ones.
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Howdy tali72! yes they are and especially were. That's why we whites could never understand them and they could never undersand us! Unfortunately.
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I couldn't agree with you more about everything you said. You took the words right out of my mouth. Z. S. Liang is my favorite artist now. : )
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Howdy Butterfly! you mean you don't have a warrior's heart either? lol. We wouldn't fit in very well!
You have good taste in art!
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Is Zhou Su Liang Chinese? If he is I wonder what motivated him to paint Indians.
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yes sir Vincent, it's amazing that a Chinese artist can paint so well! lol...no just teasing of course of course of course. Yes he moved to the United States in 1982 I think. Why, I don't know, to go to an art school back East(like Philidelphia or someplace) and when he learned about the American Indians he started to research so he could do paintings about them and got hooked. He was fascinated with their culture so he went in full time painting about them. It's a great story but the only book I could find about him costs $60 so I haven't gotten it.
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Howdy Jonboy. Thanks for the information on Zhou Su Liang. I guess only he himself will know why he is so interested in Indian culture.
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I can identify with him because I'm the same way, I'm jealous that he has a medium which allows him to meet with all the tribes because normally they are not very open to outsiders. Especially palesfaces, for obvious reasons.
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Learn something new all the time, Cowboy! I never heard of a Sash Bearer. They are certainly brave and true warriors.
The last painting by Z.S. Liang is remarkable. So realistic you think it was a photo.
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Howdy redheadpei! Yes, I'm glad you enjoy it too, you have very good taste in art!
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Howdy Sir @janton, in today's warfare, we would have a team who's job would be to take the sash bearer out, as this would demoralize the enemy.
Brave souls indeed these sash bearers.
Blessings!
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Thank you sir papilloncharity! I agree, that would be very demoralizing. This sounds like something the Zulu would do doesn't it?
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Hahaha, nope Sir @janton, one cannot blame everything on the Zulu's. This battle style was perfected by the guerilla squads of the infantry in our wars. The feared "Recces" were masters at targeting anyone displaying rank in the opposition forces.
Blessings!
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howdy sir papilloncharity! no, I wasn't blaming the Zulus for that tactic, I was saying that the tradition of staking oneself to the ground and fighting to the death sounds like a Zulu style fighting doesn't it?
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Okay now I get it and apologies Sir @janton.
It's all about honor isn't it.
And the honor statement is to fight to the death if need be.
No surrender and no absconding, only to the bitter end.
Imagine a thousand strong Impi armed only with spears attacking 200 guys with rifles. When you do the math, it's a slaughter.
But yes, that's their fighting style.
Have you seen this;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blood_River
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Battle of Blood River
The Battle of Blood River (Afrikaans: Slag van Bloedrivier; Zulu: iMpi yaseNcome) is the name given for the battle fought between 470 Voortrekkers ("Pioneers"), led by Andries Pretorius, and an estimated "10,000 to 15,000" Zulu on the bank of the Ncome River on 16 December 1838, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Casualties amounted to over 3,000 of King Dingane's soldiers dead, including two Zulu princes competing with Prince Mpande for the Zulu throne. Three Pioneer commando members were lightly wounded, including Pretorius.
The year 1838 was the most difficult period for the Voortrekkers since they left the Cape Colony, till the end of the Great Trek.
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Thanks for the information wikitextbot!
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Howdy again sir papilloncharity! yes it's all about honor.
I've read about that battle and a few others except with the British army instead of the trekkers. Totally amazing. That would be so terrifying to face 15,000 Zulus!
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They were good fighters Sir @janton, but a lot of enmity existed between their leaders. Even the great warrior and king Shaka Zulu was killed by a family member.
But the story is very reminiscent about your recent story about the settlers coming in.
Blessings!
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yes sir and just like our tribes here, it's astounding that the natives kept fighting each other instead of all binding together to fight the invaders!
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This is like the Cheyenne Dog soldiers who used to stake themselves in a position to defend a critical location. They were bad to the bone! This sounds like the same thing.
These were REAL Warriors! Nice post.
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Howdy sir smithlabs! Exactly, I read about the Dog Soldiers while I was researching this but I didn't find out why they were called Dog Soldiers, do you know? I mean, that doesn't sound like a good match to the warriors they were!
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I don't know why, just that they were Feared warriors! Apparently pretty bad ass fighters, since we remember them still....
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They were famous that's for sure, I'll find out why they were called that because it doesn't fit the image I have of them, not that I don't like dogs but everyone called someone dogs as an insult. I'm surprised you don't know the answer to that sir smithlabs, that's fairly disappointing.
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Sorry it is not WWII, ROFLOL! It was not a term of insult, they chose that name themselves.
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sir smithlabs! what is not WWII? Don't try to confuse me when I finally know something!
That's true, I looked up and saw a little about that term Dog Soldier, something about a vision a medicine man had but it sounds more like someone from Oklahoma.
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Dog Soldiers are not WWII....
There are a lot of good Men here from the Tribes, BUT the toughest Indian Warrior I ever met was a Cop in Kc Mo. He was Fast, and 6 foot 4 inches and about 300 pounds.He was a Beat cop, and everyone loved him, except the bad guys!
Spirit of the Dog Soldier for sure! A good Man....
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right right. smithlabs knows everyone and everything. when were you in Kansas City and for what reason and what did they kick you out for?
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Howdy Janton! The paining is absolutely mesmerizing and the information fascination. Seems like there is always something new you dig out about Indians and it's always mind blowing! Meanwhile you manage to make me laugh! You and me both would not be very good warriors; I would rather learn how to make those baskets, lol.
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Well it looks like the squaws did the basket weaving so that would keep you out of the fighting, I don't know what my excuse would be! lol. Maybe I could run away to a tribe who were farmers like the Caddo from right here in East Texas. Thanks so much for your kind words.
Something interesting about that post yesterday. This has never happened to me before but after 3 hours I had zero comments! Then melinda commented and after 7 hours I still only had that one comment! I finally asked smithlabs to please come and make a comment and start a thread so I didn't look like a total failure! lol. I thought I had a decent following but I guess there's only a few. I'm going in the wrong direction.
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Love the hairdo! lol. I've heard these soldiers referred to as "dog soldiers," as it's sort of like being chained to the spot. From what I remember about it, even their attackersheld them in high esteem and would sometimes challenge them to single combat, so as to not have an unfair advantage.
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Howdy sir fotosdenada! yes sir, very similar, it was the Cheyenne who were known as Dog Soldiers but the custom was the same from what I can tell. But I hadn't heard that they challenged them to one-on-one combat, that's so interesting!
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This Chinese painter must have been a Red Indian warrior in his past life!! Truly!!
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howdy sir kaminchan! I didn't think of that, maybe you are right! That would make sense wouldn't it?
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Yep! It’s very logical and reasonable, that is if you believe in reincarnation like people in the Far East!
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I agree sir kaminchan, thanks for raising that point!
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Impressive headdress! I think the idea was not only to attract "the heat" and encourage other warriors, but to scare or confuse enemies. So that when they'd see warrior like this, they'd be afraid of him not because they saw he is a good fighter, but before that, in advance )
Anyway, I think all of us have our basic instincts sleeping deep inside of our soul and blood, and they would show up when really necessary.
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howdy today zirochka! I agree totally. Someone commented and said from what they had read that the other tribes were very respectful of the Sash Bearer and would challenge them one-on-one as to keep it fair.
As far as my basic instincts, I think mine would be to run!
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That is a basic instincts - to survive. Are you a good runner? ☺
As for me, I hate running, lol
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Howdy again zirochka! yes I think most women don't like running. I'm a good runner for my age, I use to run in track, cross country and road races but that was a heck of a long time ago. lol. Having said that though, I've kept up running, just shorter distances now.
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Really? Now I feel not so alone )) And you are really cool runner! My applause and respect 👍👍
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Howdy again zirochka! sorry for the late reply, our internet service went down for 4 or 5 hours today and just came back up. Well, Mrs. J and I don't think getting older is an excuse to get out of shape so we're incredibly fit for our age, we lift weights, watch what we eat and run.
I bet if you asked 100 women if they like to run I think 75 of them will say they don't!
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I could not say it better!
And it is interesting theme - women and run ) I think my entourage has girls (or women) that are all sporty. But in general, you may be right
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Well, I may be right just in our country, I don't know about the rest of the world! You have an entourage??
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I meant "people I communicate with", e.g. at work, family, friends. Did I use a wrong word? Feel free to correct me! :D
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Hi, @janton!
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Howdy steem-plus! thanks so much for the upvote!
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