Site Choices
Back to Thoreau Sculpture Home
Mission
Statement from Thoreau Principal
Dr. Margaret Planner
Preliminary Sketches and Interpretations
Back to Whitehorse Gallery Home Page
Harry Whitehorse Art
Thoreau School Sculpture Web Site
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Preliminary Sketches and Interpretations
Adapted from the writings of Douglas Long,
Ho Chunk Buffalo Clan
Thunder
Bird and Eagle Feathers
The eagle feather is accorded the
highest respect by all Indian tribes. The eagle is often depicted as
representing the Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is the messenger of the
Creator by the tribes who recognize Him as part of their religion. Eagle
feathers are worn only by Native American warriors/veterans, or persons
who have been awarded eagle fathers by combat warriors. The
eagle staff is made up of feathers given by combat veterans. Whenever a
soldier kills or takes the life of the enemy, he will tell his experience
to the elders and then he will have the honor to place a feather on the
tribal eagle staff.
The eagle and hawk are birds of prey. The thunderbird is generally a deity granting long life and associated with peace, although his connection with war is also common.
The Cradle Board
A symbol of the love for our children, the cradleboard was
utilized by Ho-Chunk women, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and sisters
since time immemorial. The little one was close and attended to when in
need, loved and cared for at all times. The 
cradleboard was made of a
straight flat piece of wood and cushioned with deer hide. This provided
the little one with good posture and by turning his head from side to
side, gave the baby a perfectly round head. Wrapped in swaddling clothes,
the little one was warm and content. When Mother or Grandmother was
cooking and doing her daily chores, the cradle was carried on her back so
that she had no need for a baby sitter. As a result, the little one’s
needs are all met, especially the feeling of being loved and cared for.
The Bear
Similarly,
the bear is supposed to have solder’s nature. Therefore, he is the
protector as the police of many ceremonies and gatherings. When the
animal names became associated with the social groups, the specific
associations clustering around these animals accompanied them. These
associations were probably those grouped around the animals as guardian
spirits.
Young Girl with Basket
Ho Chunk women continue to create these decorative as
well
as useful black ash baskets. In the basket, the girl carries corn, beans,
and squash, the staples of the Ho Chunk diet. The basket reminds us that
everything we need is here.
Young Boy with Fish
He reminds us that the Ho-Chunk people used the area surrounding Thoreau School as a fishing village.
Ducks, River Otter, and Beaver
These
animals symbolize the water and the wetlands. Although pronounced
differently, Wingra means duck in the Ho Chunk language. Madison, known
always as DeJope (Four Lakes) to the Ho Chunk people, was an area
historically rich in wetlands. These wetlands provided a living for many
generations of Ho Chunk.
Ho Chunk means "People of the Big Voice" 
and
when you listen to a Ho Chunk drum group, you will understand why. The
drum is treated as an individual and is treated with the respect that any
person is due.
These symbolize the way that nature provided us with everything we
needed. Cat tail leaves were harvested for the
purpose of weaving mats
that could be used to cover our wigwams and floors. The roots provided a
food source, and the fuzz used as an insulator.
Appliqué
Beautiful designs taken from nature
are used to decorate traditional Ho Chunk men’s and women’s dance
regalia. Reminiscent of appliqué, the stylized oak leaves are a reminder
of the living tree.
