American Indian tribes in kilts; tribe tartan?

[Michael Weatherhead]

I remember seeing photos of American Indians dressed in their own native clothing (buckskin, jewelry, etc), and also wearing tartan. I also remember learning that the Cherokee nation has its own recognized tartan. I did an internet search, just now, but details were sketchy. Does anybody know about this? If the Cherokees have their own tartan, do any other tribes? The Cherokee would have had a lot of interaction with the early Scottish settlers, in the Appalachian mtns. So, it would make sense that they would do this. But other tribes must have had dealings with the Scots, as well.

[ctbuchanan]

I just went to the Scottish Tartans Authority web site and they have a whole page on the Cherokee Nation and they show a Cherokee Tartan (classified as corporate for some reason).

http://www.tartansauthority.com/glob...ative-indians/

I have a good friend who is half Lakota Sioux and half Scottish ancestry (Buchanan) and he wears the Buchanan tartan and is Regent for Minnesota. At tribal events he wears traditional Lakota garb.

I think it's very cool that he can do both.

[MacEanruig]

Here is an older thread on the forum that you might find interesting: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...cintosh-14473/

And here: http://s-a-m-s.org/patriot/features/...eamerican.html

[figheadair]

The wearing of tartan by American Indians was probably due to nothing more that the bright and unusal cloth would have been a desirable trading item. Here's another example; Seminole Head-dress c1880.

[Michael Weatherhead]

I checked out the other thread, showing the chief in headdress, and kilt. Wow, how interesting. I knew an old fellow, who lived here (has passed on now). He was a Cherokee, owned native jewelry, clothing, and owned/wore a kilt. I once saw him wear it all together (minus a headdress). How cool, though. I'd like to find a print of the chief. It would look great on my wall, among my Scottish collectables.

[Riverkilt]

Wes Studi (Cherokee) kilted in a cameo in the movie Christmas in the Clouds.

[Benning Boy]

If Grandma ever told you you have high cheek bones because great, great grandma was Cheerokee, you're entitled to wear the Cherokee tartan.

I just went to the Scottish Tartans Authority web site and they have a whole page on the Cherokee Nation and they show a Cherokee Tartan (classified as corporate for some reason).

http://www.tartansauthority.com/glob...ative-indians/

[Tarheel]

If Grandma ever told you you have high cheek bones because great, great grandma was Cheerokee, you're entitled to wear the Cherokee tartan.

Ditto, from my grandmothers. They were also calling us heathens at the time (in a loving way).

[freep]

Based upon a little bit of knowledge it's my guess that did any Native Americans wear an actual kilt it was a style borrowed from a Scots trader or settler. Many tribes wore an apron or wrap-type garment but it was not a kilt as such. Many more wore breechclouts. All of these could look quite "kilt-ish" in drawings or paintings.

As to the wearing of eagle feathers, there were as many customs and traditions to the wearing thereof as there were tribes. I'm not solid enough on my knowledge of early eastern tribal customs as to eagle or other feather customs t speak to them, but very loosely speaking, west of the Mississippi wearing eagle feathers was tied to prowess in battle and the practice of "counting coup." The reason many observers defined wearers of many eagle feathers as "chiefs" where often they were not is due to the fact that the best warriors had the most feathers, generally. Put another way, when you're looking at the feathers you're looking at medals, not rank insignia. Again, there was much variation in custom between the tribes.

A final consideration--when discussing historical custom, dress or geography it's very important to ask the question "when." For example, those maps you see of where Scottish Clan territories lay are only correct for a very narrow period of time, e.g. on many most of Argyll shows as Campbell land, but before the Campbells came to power it belonged to the MacDougalls, Gregors, Lamonts and others and before that to yet other clans and peoples. Another example--Richard White, Phd. wrote an excellent article called "Winning the West. . . " White Europeans are not mentioned at all as the main topic is the migration of the Lakota people from around the Great Lakes onto the plains where they engaged in a war of conquest over those already in place.

Of course a bit closer to home re: this forum, if you want to wear a traditional kilt in a traditional manner, accessorized as such you need to ask to what historical period you are assigning the term "traditional."

[Michael Weatherhead]

If Grandma ever told you you have high cheek bones because great, great grandma was Cheerokee, you're entitled to wear the Cherokee tartan.

We were always told us about our pronounced cheek bones (believe me, my mom, hers bros and sis's, my Grandma had BIG high cheek bones). My Grandma told me that it was due to Cherokee in our line. It seems like everybody you talk to has Cherokee blood. In doing my geneology, I haven't yet found this to be true. But I'll keep digging.