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Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: former user on 22 December 2009, 09:49:36 PM

Title: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: former user on 22 December 2009, 09:49:36 PM
Hi
I gave up on searching for an answer to the following question:

One of the warriors in the Perry AWI range displays an allover black/dark blue body paint

is this of a special meaning or connected to a special tribe?

maybe someone could tell?
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: Lowtardog on 22 December 2009, 11:27:24 PM
It normally means death, not sure woodland indians had special warrior societies like the plains indians warpaint was much more a personal thing
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: marianas_gamer on 23 December 2009, 07:57:47 AM
Both red and black had spiritual meanings to Indians in the Northeast of the US.  In the case of warriors they help to symbolize that they are in a spiritual state to inflict death on their enemies.  At least in the case of the Iroquois, warriors would have to go through a ceremony after returning home to bring them back into the proper state to interact with their own people.  Until the warriors had gone through the proper rituals they were spiritually dangerous to even their own people.
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: former user on 23 December 2009, 08:13:53 AM
thx
I knew about the general meaning of warpaint, but had never seen an uniformly painted all-over dark scheme that makes the warrior look like an alien.

My first idea would have been warrior society or special ritual state of the warrior.

Sorry that I only want to enter into this subjact on a very flat trajectory  ;)
I was only asking myself if the warpaint scheme was fantasy or somehow outhentic
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: Shikari Sahib on 23 December 2009, 03:26:45 PM
warpaint was done by the personal believes and meanings of the warriors.
red was the colour of war-blood; black of death.
other colours used were yellow, white, green, some time blue.
there were no tribes colour scheme.
most common is to have upper part of the head of one colour and below eyes,nose another color. or half-left face of one color and the other part-right  of a different color.
hope this help.
Piero
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: former user on 23 December 2009, 04:01:44 PM
thx

so allover black would mean dedicated to death?
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: Shikari Sahib on 23 December 2009, 04:17:56 PM
thx

so allover black would mean dedicated to death?

well more correctly, ready to death or going to death.
Piero
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: former user on 23 December 2009, 04:19:26 PM
I see

ready to die so to say....
what would caise a native american to adopt this attitude?
loss of family/friends? revenge?
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: Aaron on 23 December 2009, 04:36:01 PM
Personally I think a lot of it was pure posturing. Interestingly enough if a captive was condemned to death they often painted him black first.
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: former user on 23 December 2009, 04:52:07 PM
ah!

the source states which tribe and when?

according to the general concept of warpaint, this would mean that a warrior going to battle in black would inspire a hell of fear in enemies, because it would mean that he is not afraid of death and thus fight ferociously neglecting personal injury

Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: Aaron on 23 December 2009, 06:51:13 PM
Tim Greene wrote a series of short articles on what little is known. Eric Roof has the links up on his site: http://www.conquestminiatures.com/hobbyarticles.htm (http://www.conquestminiatures.com/hobbyarticles.htm) . They cover dress as well.
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: former user on 23 December 2009, 09:12:42 PM
thx, appreciate it a lot
Title: Re: native american warpaint - special question
Post by: Shikari Sahib on 28 December 2009, 01:53:16 PM
thx, appreciate it a lot

best books about are
"Their bearing is noble and proud "
in 2 volumes, very cheap books, but the best info on warpaint.
Piero