Parental feelings get hurt sometimes

A Brief History

of

Ribbon Shirts

By Stephanie M. Schwartz, Freelance Writer

Member, Native American Journalists Association (NAJA)

www.SilvrDrach.homestead.com

© Firestone, Colorado  August 20, 2008

Originally, each Native American Tribe had its own unique culture, language, and clothing styles.  However, as the Eastern American Indian Nations were forced to assimilate, the traditional Ribbon Shirt evolved.

Based upon the loose, plain white cotton shirt of the early traders and settlers, the tribes east of the Mississippi would add their own decorations of shells, quills, beadwork, or embroidery.  Eventually, calico or patterned cotton material was used as it became available from the traders.

By the mid-1800's, the popularity of these shirts began to spread west of the Mississippi to the Plains Nations and north to the Woodlands and Midwestern Native American Nations.  

By 1900, ribbons became more readily available from the traders and this soon became the preferred decoration with all the Nations.  For many people, the ribbons symbolized fringe and, for many Native Americans, fringe represents prayers for the children and the elders.

There are three basic styles distinguished by having either no collar (sometimes referred to as the Original style), or a small stand-up collar (called the Cherokee style), or those with a regular collar which are known as the Western Plains style.

Today, the ribbon shirt continues to be a favorite among most of the American Indian Nations.  It is worn in ceremonies, events and celebrations, as part of the regalia for Pow Wow dancing and as formal or business wear.

Revival

Revival and blessings come to the church when we stop looking at a picture of God and start look at God Himself!
Revival comes when we are no longer satisfied to know about a God in history; instead, we meet the conditions of finding Him in our current living.

A friend and I were at a campfire, suddenly we saw a snake come out of the flames wiggling in pain. My friend reached into the flames and pulled out the snake to save it and when he did it bit his hand. My friends reaction was to shake the snake loose and when he did it fell back into the fire. He immediately reached back into the fire to pluck it out again and it bit him again. He shook the snake free only to see it fall back into the fire. As he started to reach out once again to pull the snake from of the fire I called out to him, " Hey don't be a fool for a third time, if it bit you the 1st two times it will bite you again".
His respond stopped me in my tracks. He said " Just because the nature of the snake is to bite me, that doesn't mean that I will alter my nature, which is to help". With that he picked up a stick and reached in to finally pull out and free the snake from the fire and certain death.
The moral is simple: Don't allow the negative nature of some or all of those around you to change the positive nature that God has given you to share with all. Nothing wrong with being smart ( i.e. Use a stick), but help, save, support, encourage, and strengthen those around you regardless of their actions or reactions. Focus more on who you are and who you represent than what others may say or think about you….