Native American bison horn club

[colin henshaw]

After a little more search on the internet, I found a couple of similar examples. The first image is from the American Museum of Natural History collection, described as "Ghost Dance Club, Ceremonial". Acquisition 1910.

Seemingly, one of the aims of the Ghost Dance movement, as well as the removal of European colonists, was the return of the vast herds of buffalo that previously existed. Perhaps this is the reason for the attachment of the two horns ? The regalia of participants also incorporated magical "Ghost Shirts" which were meant to repel bullets.

I suppose another possibility to be considered, is that the piece is a remnant from one of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Shows, which also toured Britain in around the period in question...

[Jens Nordlunde]

When visiting the western part of Canada some years ago, a friend living out in the country showed me one like it, and asked if I knew what it was.
I did not, but I took a few pictures - attached.
When I came back I asked on the forum what it was, and someone of the old members knew what it was. A kind of a war hammer if I remember correctly. He also sain that at a museum in Canada there was another one, which had belonged to Sittlng Bull(?) when he lived in Canada.

[Tim Simmons]

Only adding this as Ghost Dance was mentioned. I have added the text to show how impoverished groups of Native Americans had got. Some must have fared better others still worse. Making ceremonial regalia in adverse conditions could mean a deterioration in quality. So who knows? perhaps it could have been used in a ghost dance somewhere? Taken from the publication mentioned earlier.