I was asked by David Wells (Little Bear) to write an article of Creek Women's clothing
and styles. The information that I am giving are quotes from different reference books.
HAIR
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 498
Women usually allowed their hair to grow long except during times of mourning, when
they might cut or singe it off, though the women of certain tribes merely allowed it to remain
disheveled.
I.S.U. S. pg. 499 (Catesby 1731-43, vol. 2, pg. LX)
Catesby, who had visited both the Siouan tribes and the Chickasaw, says that the women
sometimes rolled it up "in a bunch to the crown of their head, others braid it, and bind it with
wreaths of peak and roanoak."
I. S.U. S. pg. 499-500
Women among the Cherokee wore their hair long "club'd, and ornamented with ribbons
of various colors" (Timberlake, Williams ed., 1927, pg. 77). The Creek women, so
Bartram (1792, pg. 501) informs us, "never cut their hair, but plait it in wreaths, which
are turned up, and fastened on the crown with a silver broach, forming a wreathed top-knot,
decorated with an incredible quantity of silk ribbands, of various colors, which stream down on
every side, almost to the ground." He adds that these decorations were worn only on special
occasions, and in fact down to the present day Creek women at the busk dances fasten numbers
of ribbons to their heads and also to their shoulders. Alabama women divided their hair in the
middle, carried the two parts back and tied them there by means of a string, tape, or ribbon,
sometimes beaded. Bossu, who observed this tribe in the middle of the eighteenth century in its
old home, said, though without confining his remarks to them, "the female savages have long
hair plaited after the German fashion" (Bossu, 1768, vol. 2, pg. 7, 23). Speaking
especially of the Chickasaw, Adair remarks (1775, pg. 170) that they never forgot "to
anoint and tie up their hair, except in their time of mourning," and that persons of both sexes tied
native stones in their hair.
According to Du Pratz, Natchez women wore their hair at full length "except that in front
which is shorter. The hair behind is tied in a queve by means of a netting of mulberry threads,
with tassels at the ends."
I.S.U. S. pg. 501
lberville observes that Boyogoula women wore their hair wrapped around their heads in a
queue (or bundle) (Margry, 1875-86, vol. 4, pg. 275), and Gravier that Tunica women
had "a
great tress of hair on the back which hangs down below the waist; they also make a crown of it
around the head."
Of the Caddo women, Joutel tells us that they parted their hair in front and fastened it
carefully behind (Joutel in Margry, 1875-86, vol. 3, pg. 413).
Methods of wearing the hair varied more from tribe to tribe among the men than among
the women.
Deerskins and Duffles pg. 124
Brooches, feathers, and "incredible quantities" of silk ribbons adorned their hair.
(Bartram, Travels, pg. 395).
Deerskins and Duffles pg. 125
Brass trade bells, ostrich feathers, and horn and ivory combs became hair ornaments.
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 528
Adair (1775, pg. 4), in treating of the customs of his savage neighbors, mainly
Chickasaw, speaks of "their constant anointing themselves with bear's oil, or grease, mixt with a
certain red root." and regarding bear grease, he goes into more detail:
"All the Indian Americans, especially the female sex, reckon their bear's oil or grease
very valuable, and use it after the same manner as the Asiatics did their fine essences and sweet
perfumes; the young warriors and women are uneasy, unless their hair is always shining with it;
which is probably the reason that none of their heads are bald." (Adair, 1775, pg.
129)
I could quote more from other books, but I would be repeating all the above. From my
reference on the hair from these quotes, the southeastern women's hair should be plaited,
wrapped if you wish, and clubbed up on the top of the head. I have not found reference of the
hair being just wrapped and laying down the back. If there is a reference out there on this for the
southeastern women, please share this information with us.
DRESS:
Deerskins and Duffles pg. 124
The new European textiles and decorations revolutionized Creek dress.
During the warm season, women wore only "a bit of coloured cloth tied round their
waists," to the complete delight of the traders. "letter from a Gentleman at Pensacola, October
30, 1764" British Magazine 6 (February 1765) 97. In cooler weather, they added "a little
short
waistcoat, usually made of calico, printed linen, or fine cloth, decorated with lace, beads,
&c."
In winter, both women and children kept warm by donning European-made blankets.
Swan "Position and State of Manners," pg. 275, CO/66, fo. 356.
(Just a reminder - calico of the 1700-1800s is not the same as of today)
Deerskins and Duffles pg. 125
Creek women who visited the white settlements or accompanied their husbands to
diplomatic congresses were careful to note details of European fashion. John Stuart to
Pownall,
August 24, 1765, CO/66,fo.356.
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 4 70
Of approximately the same territory, Catesby says: "The women wear short petticoats of
woollen, and some of moss. In summer they generally go naked from the waste upwards, but in
winter they wrap themselves in a mantle of skins or woolen cloth, which they purchase of the
English." (Catesby, 1731-43, vol. 2, p IX.)
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 473
Penicaut notes "a garment of white cloth which extends from neck to feet, made almost
like the Andriennes of our French ladies."
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 4 73
Du Pratz describes the use of an upper garment in almost the same terms as Elvas about
two centuries before. "When the cold makes itself felt they wear a second (mantle), the middle of
which passes under the right arm, the two corners being fastened on the left shoulder. In this
manner the two arms are free and only one breast is visible." (Le Page du Pratz, 1758, vol. 2,
pg.
190-19 7: Swanton, 1911, pg. 53.) [Pl. 70.]
Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians pg. 46
The women wore calico dresses often ornamented on the breast, shoulders, and about the
lower part of the skirt with metal brooches.
The above articles of clothing, as can quite readily be seen, are largely of modem form if
not of comparatively modern origin. However, owing to the fact that no period is remembered by
the Yuchi going back of the time when these things were in use, we are left to our own resources
in trying to determine which of them were native and which of them were borrowed from
outsiders.
If we are warranted in judging by the material used and by the form of decoration which
is given them, it would seem that among the garments described, leggings, breechcloths,
moccasins and perhaps shirts and turbans at least were of native type.
LEGGINGS:
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 462
In lieu of the drawers and trousers of European peoples, most of the Gulf Indians wore at
times garments sometimes called leggings or boots by the English, the latter word evidently
applied in some now obsolete sense, and by the French mitasses. They were made in two
pieces, one wrapped around each leg and brought up high enough so as to be fastened to the belt
by means of leather cords, while at the lower ends they were inserted under the upper edges of
the moccasins. Like the latter, they were used less about home than during excursions to some
distance and they were mainly intended to protect the wearer from bushes and underbrush of
various kinds. Theses were in use in De Soto's time, as appears from Ranjel's statement that the
Indians of Cofitachequi "went clothed down to their feet with very fine skins wen dressed, and
blankets of the country," and that they made "hose and moccasins and leggings with ties of white
leather" (Bourne, 1904, vol. 2, p. 10 1)
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 463
The Creek women who accompanied Oglethorpe in his St. Augustine expedition of 1743
had "Boots about their Legs, of Bays" (Kimber, 1744, p. 16).
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 4 73
According to Strachey (1849, p. 66) Virginia women wore leggings as wen as the men,
and Beverley in one of his figures show a woman in winter costume wearing leggings
(Beverley,
1705, pl. 7, fig. 2). But this figure is probably from Michel and represents a Monacan woman
at a late date.
MOCCASINS:
Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians pg. 48
The moccasin, det a' still in use (Pl. V 4, and Fig. 25), is made of soft smoked
deerskin.
It is constructed of one piece of skin. One seam runs straight up the heel. The front seam begins
where the toes touch the ground and runs along the instep. At the ankle this seam ends, the
uppers hanging loose. The instep seam is sometimes covered with some fancy cloth. Deerskin
thongs are fastened at the instep near the bend of the ankle with which to bind the moccasin
fast.
BELTS AND SASHES:
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 524
The Chickasaw women of Adair's time had leather belts covered with brass runners or
buckles, and he mentions beaded sashes (Adair, 1775, pg. 8,178)
I.S.U. S. pg. 525
Yuchi women's belts, however, "were made of leather or trade cloth and had bead
embroidery decorations representing in general the same range of objects as the neckbands and
hair ornaments. Such belts were usually about two inches wide." (Speck, 1909, P. 50.)
Adair's History of the American Indians pg. 9
"The women, since the time we first traded with them, wrap a fathom of the half breadth
of Stroud cloth around their waist, and tie it with a leathern belt, which is commonly covered
with brass runners or buckles."
Adiar's History of A.I. pg. 178
The Indian nations are agreed in the custom of thus adorning themselves with beads of
various sizes and colours; sometimes wrought in garters, sashes, necklaces, and in strings round
their wrists; and so from the crown of their heads sometimes to the cartilage of the nose.
Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians pg. 48
The sashes, gagodi kwene, "the two suspended from the body" (Pl.V, 5, 6, Pl. VI, 7,
8),
worn by men, are made of woolen yarn. The simplest of these consists merely of a bunch of
strands twisted together and wrapped at the ends.
Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians pg. 49
The sash is a mark of distinction, to a certain extent, as it was only worn in former times
by full grown men.
From my own research, I have not found Southeastern women with woolen yarn sashes. I
am not saying they did not wear these, but I have not found the reference to this. If there is
reference out there on this please inform us of Southeastern women with woolen sashes.
BODY PAINTING
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 530
One is surprised to learn that, among the Indians of Virginia and Carolina, if we may trust
Lawson and Beverly, women made no use of paint, and, speaking of the Creeks, Bartram tells us
that the women "never paint, except those of a particular class, when disposed to grant certain
favors to the other sex." (Lawson, 1860, pg. 313; Beverley, 1705, bk. 3, pg. 6-7; Bartram,
1792,
pg. 501.)
Ethnology of the Yuchi Indians pg. 53
The only use ever made of paint in the case of women seems to have been to advertise the
fact that they were unmarried.
One informant gave the above information in regard to the past use of paint among
women and thought that to wear it was regarded then as a sign of willingness to grant sexual
privileges. The woman's pattern consists simply of a circular spot in red, about one inch across,
on each cheek (PIX, Fig. 4).
TATTOOING
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg. 533
Pope (1792, pg. 60) informs us that tattooing was practiced on young Creek
Indians of
both sexes.
I.S.U.S. pg. 534
Women were evidently tattooed as well as men, for in his plate 37 (pl. 85 herein) Le
Moyne represents a woman tattooed in bands about the neck, upper and lower arms, breasts,
chest, abdomen, and upper and lower legs. The pattern is entirely different from those on men in
the same series of drawings and resembles the rain pattern so common in our southwest.
I.S.U.S. pg. 535
"But the greatest ornament of all these savages of both sexes consists in certain figures of
suns, serpents, or other things, which they carry pictured on their bodies in the manner of the
ancient Britons, of whom Caesar tells us in his commentaries."
"First, in accordance with the color that is desired, a man makes either a black mixture of
pine charcoal or, indeed, of gunpowder dissolved in water, or a red of cinnabar or vermilion."
(Dumont, 1753,vol. 1, pg. 139-140; Swanton, 1911, pg. 56-57.)
Finally, let us hear Du Pratz:
"From youth the women have a line tattooed across the highest part of the nose, some in
the middle of the chin from above downward, others in different places."
STAINING OF THE TEETH:
Indians of the Southeastern United States pg, 536
French writers mention the staining of the teeth by women in tribes living along the
Mississippi River. The missionary Gravier says of the Natchez women: "Most have black teeth,
which are considered beautiful among them. They blacken them by chewing the ashes of tobacco
mixed with wood ashes and rubbing them with this every morning." (Thwaites, 189 7-1901,
vol. 65, pg. 145; Swanton, 1911, pg. 54.)
In the course of his description of the Bayogoula Indians, a Choctaw-Speaking tribe
below the present Baton Rouge, Iberville remarks:
"It gives the women pleasure to blacken their teeth, which they do by means of an herb
crushed in wax [putty]; they remain black for a time and then become white again." (Margry,
1875-86, vol. 4, pg. 171-172; Swanton, 1911, pg. 276)
This is just some of the information that I use for my persona of a southeastern Creek
woman. To be a good Living Historian you need to do as much research as you possibly can.
Don't go with just what other people have told you or what they are wearing. If someone tells
you something or shows you something and you are not sure DO YOUR RESEARCH. For this
information could be wrong for your persona. Example: red dots on the cheeks of northern Indian
women was worn for beauty, where as in the southeast it was a sign of wanting to have sex, so
you can see that the same thing in different regions could mean completely different things.
For the Creek women there is not a lot to go on, so you have to keep reading and
researching all the time. There is a lot more to this research that space would not allow me to
share, but this is the basic for getting started or to up grade your persona.
Let me say a word here about upgrading, as you learn more, and new information comes
to fight, you will find many of the items or styles you have been using are wrong, if you are to be
a SERIOUS reenactor you will have to stay open to change when it is supported by fact. We
need to move away from the 'Hollywood' idea of what is 'right' and stop dressing for what the
public thinks it wants to see or what you think will make you look best in all the photo
opportunities that will come along, the public does not know what 'right' is they have been fed
Hollywood all their life, most believe ALL Indian men wore feather war bonnets and ALL Indian
women are 'squaws' that chew their leather to soften it, they come to see us to learn what 'right'
is, how are we any different from Hollywood if we knowingly are giving them the wrong
information just because we selfishly do not want to change or do what is 'right'.
The more we all research and share about something or someone the more we all will
know and can help each other give a more accurate portrayal.
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