Ritual & Ceremony
Rituals and ceremonies are an essential part of any society. In Native American cultures, ceremonial gatherings were associated with hunting, harvesting, war, religious practices, and courtships.
Each geographic region produced distinctive items including headgear, masks, dance sticks, rattles, pipes, and drums. The style and use of these items depended on the availability of materials in each region and the nature of their use in a specific ceremony.
Today, many of these items are still used and represent a celebration of cultural heritage and continued traditions.
Objects
Otter Turban
Southern Plains
Prayer or Peyote Fan
Southern Plains
Ring-necked Pheasant Feather Headdress
Northern Plains, Lakota
Pipe Bowl, Stem
Northern Plains, Lakota
Darth Vader Beaded Helmet
Álvaro Ortiz López-Puwari
Mexico, Huichol
Hok Hok Mask
Richard Hunt
Northwest, Kwakwaka’wakw
Split Horn Headdress
Northern Plains, Blackfeet
Rattle
Southern Plains, Possibly Kiowa
Mirror Board Dance Stick
Great Lakes, Chippewa
Tablita
Southwest, Hopi
Gourd or Peyote Rattle
Southern Plains, Possibly Kiowa
Elk Dreamer Society Hand Drum
Northern Plains, Lakota
Horse Dance Stick
Northern Plains, Lakota
