Author Topic: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted  (Read 4961 times)

Offline Acer Saccharum

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Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« on: May 12, 2010, 05:26:56 AM »
I have a commission for a tomahawk hatchet PIN. This will be a miniature, maybe 2 1/2" long. What I want to know: is there a specific design or motif that the Blackfeet tribe used? The customer's wife has Blackfeet blood in her, and he wants to honor that.

Any ideas or photos welcome.
Thanks,
Tom

some other things I have made so you'll know what I'm looking for: http://tcurran.wordpress.com/
Tom Curran's web site : http://monstermachineshop.net
Ramrod scrapers are all sold out.

Offline Nate McKenzie

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2010, 05:39:44 AM »
Wouldn't it be whatever the white trader had in stock? Maybe tribal decorations.

Offline Chuck Burrows

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2010, 07:26:57 AM »
Tom - there were no types speciific to the Blackfeet, but I might be able to find some pics that show members of that tribe carrying them. Also is there a specific period you're interested in? Styles.types changed here in the west over time.
One thought might be the early so-called Upper Missouri war axe which was pretty specific to the area and used early on........

Ther first two here on my site were ones I built based on originals:
http://www.wrtcleather.com/Gallery-Frontier-Hawks/index-gallery.html

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

dannybb55

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2010, 01:50:52 PM »
The Blackfeet traded at Fort McKenzie, a Hudson's Bay Co fort. Start with Firearms Traps and Tools of the Mountainman by Carl P Russell.
                                                      Danny

Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2010, 03:40:02 PM »
Thanks, guys. The axe shown by Chuck will do nicely.  The pierced heart may find particular significance once received!

Tom
Tom Curran's web site : http://monstermachineshop.net
Ramrod scrapers are all sold out.

The other DWS

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2010, 03:36:00 AM »
Which kind of Blackfoot?  there was a subsection of the Lakotah/Dakotah called the Blackfoot/Blackfeet and the canadian/northern rocky mtn Blackfoot nation which was a totally diffent linguistic group.  As mentioned the Canadian nation would have been supplied by the HBC/NW traders.  The Siouan group would have had a much more eclectic material culture

dannybb55

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2010, 04:14:01 AM »
Siksika, Piegan and Blood Blackfoot? Linguistically related to the Arikarees? Weren't they the ones who ran into John Colter?

Offline Chuck Burrows

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2010, 06:54:08 AM »
The Siksika are members of the Blackfoot Confederacy,  which is composed of five distinct nations including the: Blackfoot aka Siksika, the Bloods, and the Piegan nations (all of which share a common language and culture) as well as the Sarcee and the Gros Ventre aka Atsina who are related to the Arapaho.

The Arikara or Sahnish are cousins to the Pawnee.

And yes it was the Blackfeet, IIRC the Piegan specifically, who made Colter run for his life in Southern Montana.......
« Last Edit: May 13, 2010, 06:57:45 AM by ChuckBurrows »
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2010, 05:24:21 PM »
Chuck, I sent your link to my client. Great photography, and that's on top of being fabulous work.

Tom
Tom Curran's web site : http://monstermachineshop.net
Ramrod scrapers are all sold out.