Horse dreaming medicine buffalo robe

Horse Dream Medicine by Sunny Tuttle. Sonny was born on the Pineridge Sioux Reservation in South Dakota and lived on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. He was raised learning and honoring the traditional ways of the Sioux people, an emphasis instilled by his father "I learned from my father and Arapaho stepfather all kinds of Indian art." He says "we made all manner of regalia and cultural art." This piece depicts ten running horses along with detailed Native American symbols. The piece is adorned by deer dew claws that rattle relating sounds of walking buffalo and assure further good fortune as described by the artist. Pioneer artists often depicted plains warriors wearing buffalo robes with a circular design resembling an eagle feather bonnet. In many tribes there were societies of men authorized to wear the "Black War Bonnet" design on their robes. The wealth of a great warrior was measured by the number of horses he was able to accumulate. Therefore, it was considered a very good sign if a man dreamed of many beautiful horses while on a Vision Quest. Spurred on by his newly acquired "Horse Dreaming Medicine", the warrior often had spectacular success in building an impressive herd numbering hundreds of fine horses. Horses could then be painted on the man's robe to indicate his status as a Horse Dreamer. Eagle feather fans in each corner represent the ceremony performed to pray for assistance. The border design stands for the trail taken in search of horses.

PERIOD: Contemporary

ORIGIN: Great Plains - Sioux, Native American

SIZE: 42" x 81" plus 17" tail