Made and painted by John Groeneveld ( Non-Native
American ).
The meaning and owner of the
shield, see below.
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The meaning of the shield:
The Ghost Dance shield illustrates
a vision of spiritual power residing in the dome
of the sky. A central Thunderbird, outlined in
red, is surrounded by four Thunderers, one for
each of the four cardinal directions.
Each bird has hawk bells hanging from its breast.
The crescent moon is visible above. The horizon
of the earth, punctuated by four sacred
mountains, frames the sky around the outer edge
of the image.
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The owner of the shield:
The original shield belonged to Little Rock, a
prominent chief of the Southern Cheyenne. The
shield was collected by Custer at The Battle of
Washita in 1868.
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Used materials:
Willow hoop
Brass bells
Imitation eagle feathers
Goose feathers
Duck feathers
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The original shield
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Museum:
The Detroit Institute of
Arts
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