Lakota
Hunkpapa Sioux


Medicineshield
Shieldnr. 30
19.6 inch


Owner :
Sitting Bull



Made and painted by John Groeneveld ( Non-Native American ).
The meaning and owner of the shield, see below.
The meaning of the shield:
Sitting Bull's shield ( replica made by John Groeneveld ) is taken from drawings by Sitting Bull portraying himself with this shield.
There is some confusion as to the shield's decoration, and written descriptions vary considerably. There are at least three pictographic drawings of Sitting Bull's shield.

The circle in green and red represent day and night, and also sky and earth. In the middle the symbol of a Thunderbird . The four Eagle feathers represent the four wind directions. The shield symbolises the strengths of the universum.
The singular Thunderbird was said to reside on the top of a mountain, and was the servant of the Great Spirit . The Thunderbird only flew about to carry messages from one spirit to another.

The owner of the shield:
Sitting Bull ( Tatanka Iyotaka ) 1831-1890
Hunkpapa Sioux Leader and Medicine Man.

Sitting Bull, born about 1831. 
He was the principal leader of the Dakota Sioux, who were driven from their reservation in the Black Hills by miners in 1876, and took up arms against the whites.
In June, 1876, they defeated and massacred Gen. George A. Custer's at Little Big Horn.
They were pursued by General Terry.
Sitting Bull, with a part of his band, made his escape into British Territory, and, through the mediation of Canadian officials, surrendered on a promise of pardon in 1880.
In July and August, 1888, in a conference at Standing Rock, Dakota, he influenced his tribe to refuse to relinquish Indian lands. 
He died in 1890 when followers tried to rescue him from the reservation police.
Used materials:
Willow hoop
Rawhide
Imitation eagle feathers

Click on images
for larger view

Sitting Bull
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