Native American Crafts and Activities: The Talking Stick and Answering Feather

Did you know that November is Native American Heritage month? Native American heritage is an important and interesting part of American history to study any time of year. If you're looking for a fun craft and lesson plans for Native American Heritage month consider the talking stick.

What is a talking stick?

Many Native Americans used the talking stick in tribal council meetings. According to Native American tradition, holding the talking stick allowed the council members to share their "sacred point of view." The leaders responsible for calling the meeting were required to make their own talking stick. During meetings only the person holding the talking stick was allowed to speak unless a questions was asked directly of another member. In some Native American groups, an answer feather was also used and only persons given the answer feather were allowed to respond. Talking sticks weren't just used in tribal councils but were also used when teaching children, during pow wows and during story telling.

Listening is was an important skill in the Native American tradition. From age three onward children were taught to listen so that information was not repeatedly unnecessarily and questions were not asked that had already been answered. This is yet another reason that creating and using talking sticks in the classroom or with your family are worthy Native American Heritage month lessons because there are built in listening skills activities.

Our family first encountered talking sticks during a visit to the First People's Buffalo Jump State Park and Visitor Center in Montana among the many authentic Native American crafts. It was easy to see how fun they would be to create and to use.

Materials used to make Talking Sticks:

Sticks

Feathers

Paint

String

Fabric

In traditional talking sticks, Native Americans used long, thin strips of bark or horsehair for the string and the fabric would have been made from animal hide.

To the Native Americans creating talking sticks, the materials were not random but rather each was chosen as a symbol with a meaning.

White pine represents peace.

Birch represents truth.

Evergreens represent continued growth of all living things.

Cedar represents cleansing.

Maple represents gentleness.

Elm represents wisdom.

Cherry can represent high emotions or love.

Ash represents protection.

In the Lakota traditions, fabric colors have symbolic meanings too.

Yellow represents knowledge.

White represents spirit.

Purple represents healing.

Orange represents kinship with living things.

Black represents clarity or focus.

Blue represents prayer.

Red represents life.

The skins used were symbolic as well.

Rabbits represented listening with big ears.

Buffalo represented abundance.

Elk represents stamina or fitness.

Deer represents gentleness.

Horsehair represents perseverance or the wind.

Directions for creating a talking stick:

To create a talking stick a feather is attached to the top of the stick under fabric or dyed leather and is tied in a common crisscross fashion with string, horse hair or strips of bark. Colorful patterns and symbols may also be painted onto the stick. While students may choose colors and patterns that appeal to their artistic tastes, it is important to teach them the Native Americans choose each material and made each mark with great intention of meaning.

Using talking sticks:

Obviously in a classroom or family if everyone has created a talking stick and everyone is talking at once this will defeat the purpose of having a talking stick. Take turns having one person bring their talking stick to your classroom discussion or family meeting and honor the Native American tradition of taking turns speaking and listening carefully.

Sources:

http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TraditionalTalkingStick-Unknown.html

Visit to the First People's Buffalo Jump State Park and Visitor Center in Montana

Personal crafting experience