Walking Thunder

 

   I am writing this entry on behalf of my friend Ed Whiting of the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota.Ed, also known as Walking Thunder, is a Dakota and craftsman of the traditional items of the Dakota people of the plains. I had the good fortune to meet and become acquainted with Ed and his lovely wife, Bea who is a Lakota Native American. Ed is a true Dakota that has great talent and great insight. Utilizing his skills passed down through his ancestors I was surprised a couple of Christmas's ago with an amazing handcrafted bow complete with quiver and arrows. He carefully crafted the bow from  Osage Orange wood, while the arrows are made from cherry saplings, with bone points. The quiver is made of Buffalo hide and the sheath for the bow is made of tanned Elk hide. Ed makes a few items to sell occasionally by special order. This is a supplemental income for him as they, like most reservation people live in an area with little opportunities for employment.

Ed and Bea Whiting with my daughter Allison on the right

   Here are a few examples of some of the traditional crafted items that are unique to the plains people. If you would be interested in having something made by Ed, I am sure he would be willing to work with you to produce the item for you.  With that said, it could be awhile before Ed can do any work for you now. He has been in the hospital for many months trying to recover from a serious surgical mishap earlier. This has been both exhaustive and costly on him and Bea. They have endured a great hardship for that last few months.

    These are some scanned photos of a variety of authentic Dakota items that Ed handcrafts himself. Forgive the pictures details as I had little time to scan the items to my computer.  Items vary from drums, bow and arrows and many other beautiful handcrafted items. Each one is one of a kind and assuming Ed returns to his normal routine he would be able to make any of these items upon request. Hopefully, I can send you an enlarged photo should you be interested. Just contact me at my email address of eh648@yahoo.com.

    Ed  spends many of his summers on his farm providing camps for young people who wish to learn the ways and traditions of the Lakota and Dakota peoples. He has missed last year and this year is not shaping up to well either as Ed recovers from the many surgeries he has bravely undergone.

    I know this; Walking Thunder is a wise and talent man that truly represents the best in all people. If you ever plan a trip to South Dakota and would like to visit Ed, let me know I will let him know you're coming and give you directions. In the meantime, take a look at these items and if you are interested why not get Ed to make you something truly amazing.

Primitive Skills

Hand, coiled pottery-without a wheel

    I haven't been in the habit of posting or promoting special events on this site. For one thing, there are so many great events across the state it truly is hard to pick an event to rate above the many. Like most of you I have my favorite subjects and enjoy most festivals that I get the chance to attend.
    I do have an exception to my very general and not so strict rule. In one of my favorite places, the Red River Gorge, at the mouth of Gladie Creek on the Red River on September is the annual Living Archaeology Weekend. The event is held on the grounds of the US Forest Service Visitor Center and is At the annual primitive crafts weekend held each year at the Visitor Center area on Gladie Creek in the Red River Gorge visitors can really see some amazing skills and crafts. I found it very interesting of all the different types of primitive and pioneer crafts that are demonstrated and exhibited. This is an annual event I am adding to my list to attend this year. Here are a few that caught my eye when visiting a previous event.

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    Many different types of wares are both made and sold right on the spot. Some of the items are downright unusual and all take a lot of practice and skill to master. One such example is the pottery maker shown above. This is pottery without the benefit of a potters wheel.  The same method employed by peoples for thousands of years until the pottery wheel was invented.

Primitive drills using chipped flint would drill through rock!

     One item being demonstrated was of particular interest to the kids. Primitive drills made from a sharpened piece of flint attached to a straight stick used with a string of leather or sinew would easily drill through wood and stone-just like a modern electric drill. This type of drill was around and used by Natives for centuries. I had never actually seen one used and here at this event kids were using them quite effectively.
                                                                           

Baskets of excellent quality

Demonstration of the Cherokee thistle dart

Flint knappers chipped away

The quality of the chipped stone tools was excellent

This point was made from quartz from North Carolina

Leggings for dances and ceremonies were made

Tanning and hide preparation

Nearly every exhibit had demonstrations going on continuously

Medicinal plants anyone? They had them.

One of my favorites was the on going construction of this cattail  shelter  constructed with  bent saplings and cattail
mattes.

    This years event is coming up September 22 and will be held at the Gladie Visitor Center in the heart of the Red River Gorge. 

    Demonstrations are on going all day long the days of the event. Some exhibitors do sale some items that they demonstrate or are making right there on site. 









    There were baskets made from willow bark. All sizes and shapes and the bark had been dyed using natural dye substances to produce different colored materials to be woven together.









     The Cherokee people from North Carolina were making thistle darts. The ripened thistle head from a bloom produces a light fluffy cotton like fiber. These fibers are woven around a sharpened slender stick. The fiber expands to loosely fill the cane dart gun and can be blown several yards with deadly accuracy.






    Of course one of my favorites are the flint knappers.