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A Pair of Bull Snakes, Two Painted Turtles, and a crow

Ethnographic Notes

A pair of bull snakes, in Lakota called “brown-speckled arrows” (wangleglega), and two, painted turtles (patkasa), frame a crow (kangi---Buechel, 1970: 541; 436; & 283). Snakes are an unusual species to be found in Lakota art, or religious practice. According to He Dog, a prominent chief, Black Road “was the only Oglala medicine man to use snake symbolism” (Blish, 1934: 180). This is another, direct indication that Black Road created the Wilkins Ledger. Specifically, this drawing represents one of the designs painted on special buffalo robes, cut about five feet square, worn by some officers of Black Road's Sacred Bow Warrior Society: “Along each side of the robe, running from left to right (beginning at the top) a snake was painted” (Blish, 1934: 185). Compare Plates 66, 64 & 3.


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Provenance

Private owner. Provenance provided by 3rd generation descendants of Charles A. Wilkins on a typed note taped ...

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Document Info
Plate No: 83
Page No: --
Media: pencil and colored pencil
Dimensions: 6.5 x 7.25 inches
Custodian
Personal Collection
Artist
Black Road
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