Coloring book of Indians. Combat paint on the face of the military. War paint of the Indians

Mustaches, sideburns, hairstyles Under Nicholas I, all the lower ranks of the Russian army wore mustaches, which had to be fabricated, as well as sideburns. At the beginning of the reign, the regiments still had companies without mustaches, but gradually all the soldiers acquired mustaches. Since 1847 mustaches have been relied on

Tattoo Scratching tattoo has been an important part of body decoration, as evidenced by the chronicles and confirmed by numerous sculptures and clay figurines. This type of tattoo, in which the scars caused by cutting through the previously painted skin form

Until the time when white traders appeared in America, the Indians used various natural dyes, for example, some types of clay. The Assiniboins used white clay to smear their faces and capes when they mourned. Also, many other species of natural dyes were in use. In particular, the lowland Cree mixed fat and charcoal with graphite to obtain a black color. Skidi-pawnee covered their faces with the soot obtained by burning grass. But after the appearance of merchants, the Indians began to buy ocher from them to replace it. natural dyes... Then, before applying to the face, the warrior took a bit of ocher and the same amount of fat, rubbed the mixture in his palms until the desired shade was obtained, and then applied it to the skin. European traders sold ocher to the Indians in small boxes, and received up to 500% of the net profit for it.

Why did the Indians use paint?

Military coloring for the Indian people it was a tradition, it served them as magical protection. Moreover, it was believed that she protects both the warrior himself and his horse. In addition, the Indians believed that coloring enhanced magical abilities warrior.

Advice

Good to know that different kinds the colorings were the result of visions and were individual. Existed the same certain types coloring, which showed the merits of the soldiers and their deeds.

War paint and its types in different tribes

Among the Sioux Indians, horizontal, slightly wavy, multi-colored lines drawn on the warrior's wrists indicated that he was captured by enemies, but managed to escape. Red spots on the body are the places of past wounds from arrows and from spears. The horizontal lines of red on the arms and body, as well as the red vertical lines drawn on the neck, indicated that the warrior had been in many battles. Each of the lines meant their participation in one battle. Black circles, like a panda, around the eyes gave the warriors magic opportunity defeat the enemy at night, or unexpectedly attack him in order to win. A horizontal lines black on one cheek indicated that the warrior had destroyed the enemy. Diagonal black lines on the hips are a sign that the warrior fought on foot in combat. The black crosses on his hips are an indication that he fought in combat on his own steed. Vertically ascending red lines running along the cheeks from the temples to the jaw, in the Sioux, like the Cheyenne, meant that the warrior had destroyed the enemy in hand-to-hand combat.

Black meaning

Black for most tribes, like the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho and Pawnee along with some others, was considered the color of victory. It denoted the ceased hostility, symbolized the extinction of coals on enemy fires and the gradual extinction of enemy lives that left the enemies. At the same time, the Comanche and Osage tribes painted with black paint before battle.

Painting ceremonies

With different tribal ceremonies, the coloring of warriors could indicate that he belonged to any military society and clan, or even talk about the performance of various military feats by him. Those warriors who were able to prove themselves "on the warpath" received the right to paint the faces of their wives. If a man did not have military merit, then he was deprived of this privilege. Horses were also painted, and their manes and tails were traditionally decorated with eagle feathers and various bright ribbons.

The tradition of painting horses before an important battle existed among all Indian tribes. Horses of dark colors were painted white or yellow, and those with light colors were painted red. The circles around the eyes of the war horse were made so that the horse's eyesight became sharper. The places where horses were wounded among the Sioux and Cheyenne tribes, as well as among the Blackfeet, were noted round spot, usually red.

There were various symbols used on war horses. They reflected the exploits of this or that warrior who was the owner of the horse. For example, the Sioux put a handprint on their horse. This sign meant that the warrior was able to touch the enemy while on horseback.

Output:

Indians can be called children of nature, because it is with the worlds around them that all their traditions and customs are connected. Painting their own bodies is considered an integral part of their traditional culture. This was done for protection, as well as to highlight the status of one or another representative of a given nationality.

Man began to paint the body, including the face, as a herd and social “animal” since ancient times. Each tribe had different ritual makeup, but it was done for the same purposes:

• Designation of tribal (family) affiliation;
• Defining and emphasizing one's status within the tribe;
• Announcement of special achievements and merit;
• The designation of the unique qualities and skills inherent in a given individual.
• Determination of occupation in this moment (fighting, hunting and supplying the tribe, exploration, peacetime, and so on).
• Obtaining magical or mystical protection to support their actions, both during the conduct of hostilities and when participating in special rituals.

Besides coloring own body(and a photo of the Indian coloring can be seen in our article), the North American Indians drew the corresponding patterns on horses. And for almost the same purposes as for yourself.

War paint of the Indians

As you might guess from the name, not only graphics played a role in the coloring, but also color, which signified different phenomena:

• Red is blood and energy. According to popular beliefs, he brought good luck and success in battle. In times of peace he set off beauty and family happiness.
• Black - readiness for war, beating aggressiveness and strength. This color was a must when returning with a victory.
• White - meant sorrow or peace. These two concepts among the Indians were very close.
• The intellectual elite of the tribe painted themselves blue or green: wise and enlightened, as well as people who know how to communicate with spirits and gods. Green color also carried data on the presence of harmony.

Entering the "warpath"

“A great day to die” - with this motto, the North American Indians greeted the news of the beginning of a military campaign and began to apply war paint on their faces. He confirmed the fierce courage and unshakable courage of the warrior, his status and past merits. He was supposed to instill terror in the enemy, including the defeated or taken prisoner, instill fear and despair in him, give magical and mystical protection to the wearer. The stripes on the cheeks confirmed that their owner had repeatedly killed enemies. When applying the war paint, factors were taken into account that not only frighten the enemy, but also give additional protection, including camouflage.

An image of a palm could mean good skills hand-to-hand combat or possession of a talisman that gives the owner stealth and invisibility on the battlefield. The unequal, but the same type of war paint gave a sense of unity and kinship in the battle, as it is now - the modern army uniform. He also emphasized the status of the fighter, like insignia and orders today.

The war paint of the Indians turned out to be effective means to raise their morale. He also helped to cope with the fear of death, since one should die like a hero, with a thirst for blood overwhelming the heart. It was impossible to let him be filled with the fear of death and the desire to live, for this is a shame for a warrior.

Features of war paint horses

After the end of the ceremony of their coloring, if the Indian did not fight on foot, they went over to the horses. Light paint they smeared horses of a dark color, and animals of light colors - with red paint. White circles near the horse's eyes were applied in order to improve their vision, and the places of wounds, as well as in themselves, were marked in red.

Symbolism

Almost every Indian from the very beginning of adolescence thoroughly knew the features of ordinary and war paint as members of his tribe, and related and allied tribes, as well as all known enemies. Despite the fact that the meaning and meaning of the same symbol or combination of colors in different tribes, in different time, could differ significantly, the Indians were perfectly oriented in this almost endless sea of ​​meanings, which caused genuine surprise and envy of the whites who had contact with him. Some frankly admired, but most of the "white-skinned" only hated the Indians more for such qualities as loyalty to the word and an unwritten code of conduct, honesty and frankness in the demonstration of their intentions by the Indians, which was confirmed by the war paint on their faces.

An interesting fact: at the present time, a stable stereotype has developed that the North American Indians received the nickname "redskins" for their skin color, allegedly having reddish tint... In fact, their skin is slightly yellowish and casts a little light brown (this shade may differ among different tribes, especially those living far from each other). But the term "redskins" arose and took root because of the coloring of the faces of the Indians, in which red predominated.

Let's note one more curious fact. Only warriors who distinguished themselves in battle had the right to apply paint to the faces of their wives.

The role of the "pale-faced" in the implementation of coloring

Naturally, the Indians, even before the appearance of whites, with their capabilities on an industrial scale to produce and, accordingly, supply anyone with paints of any shades, applied war paint. The Indians knew different types of clay, soot, animal fat, charcoal and graphite, as well as dyes. vegetable origin... But with the appearance of wandering traders in the tribes, and also after the beginning of the visits of the Indians to the trading posts, the only commodity that could compete with alcohol (fire water) and weapons was paint.

The meaning of individual elements

Each element of the fighting, and not only, the coloring of the Indians necessarily meant something specific. Sometimes it is the same for different tribes, but more often it is just very, very similar. In addition, being drawn separately, the pattern could mean one thing, and in conjunction with other elements of such "tattoos", something generalizing or clarifying, and in individual cases- just the opposite. The meaning of the war paint of the Indians:

• A palm print on the face usually meant that the warrior was successful in hand-to-hand combat or a very good stealth scout. For women of their own or allied tribe given element served as a guide reliable protection.
• Vertical red lines on the cheeks and above in many tribes indicated the number of enemies killed. In some tribes, black horizontal stripes on one of the cheeks spoke of the same. And the vertical markings on the neck indicated the number of battles.
• Some of the tribes painted their faces with black paint, in whole or in part, before the battle, and the majority after a victorious battle, before returning home.
• Very often, the area of ​​the face around the eyes was painted over, or they were outlined in circles. Usually this meant that the enemy could not hide and the warrior would attack him and win with the help of spirits or magic.
• The traces of wounds were marked with red paint.
• Cross-lines on the wrist or hands signified a successful escape from captivity.
• Paint on the hips parallel lines meant that the warrior fights on foot, and crossed - on horseback.

Peculiarities

The Indians, as a rule, really wanted to emphasize all their achievements in their war paint, but they did not ascribe too much to themselves, but moved from one status level to another only on the fact of victories, murders, the presence of scalps, recognition by their fellow tribesmen, and so on. The war paint of the Indians, at the same time, was applied to a minimum by young men who had just arrived at the appropriate age, as well as young warriors who had not yet received the opportunity to distinguish themselves in combat. Otherwise, the spirits of ancestors could not recognize their own and not give them the help you need or even worse.

The Indians, of course, were very well versed in the social hierarchy and knew their leaders, including the military. But this did not mean that the leaders did not emphasize their high status clothing, hats and war paint. So, the image of the square indicated that its bearer was the leader of the given military detachment.

Drawings in the form of heads of predatory animals

Separately, it must be said about tattoos or drawings with paints in the form of heads of predatory animals, which were depicted on the head or body and which were very difficult to earn. In particular, they meant:

• coyote - cunning;
• wolf - ferocity;
• bear - power and strength;
• eagle - courage and vigilance.

Items of clothing and military weapons were subject to coloring. On the shields, if the warrior used it, there was a lot of space, and it was possible to apply not only existing achievements, but those to which he was striving. And even a child could determine the tribal affiliation of its owner by sewing, finishing and coloring moccasins.

Military face paint

In our practical time and war paint is given a purely practical down-to-earth meaning. The military, including intelligence or special forces, need to reduce the visibility of the face and exposed areas of the body, including the eyelids, ears, neck and hands. "Makeup" must also solve an important task of protecting against:

• Mosquitoes, gnats and other insects, whether they are bloodsucking or not.
• Sun and other types of combat and (not combat) burns.

Much time in preparation is devoted to the practice of applying camouflage makeup from available means. As a rule, it should be two-colored and consist of parallel straight or wavy stripes. Earth, mud, ash or clay is the main element. In summer, you can use grass, sap or plant parts in summer, and chalk or something similar in winter. There should be several zones (up to five) on the face. The make-up is applied by the warrior himself and should be quite individual.

Children's coloring

The war paint of Indians for children is now done very often, especially for boys. Therefore, having painted their faces and stuck a feather of any bird into their hair, they cheerfully chase each other, waving a toy tomahawk and shouting loudly, using the method of rhythmic pressing an open palm to their mouths. This makeup is perfect for children's carnivals and parties. Safe face painting perfectly imitates the war paint of the Indians from the photo of the original drawings and can be easily washed off with soap and water.

Conclusion

So, we examined the essence and features of the war paint of the Indians. As you can see, each color and pattern has its own meaning. At the moment, it will be difficult to see Indians painted in this way (except at carnivals), but several hundred years ago, great attention was paid to this nuance, and the coloring had its power.

I love to arrange parties for children - so much joy in children's eyes, so much laughter and smiles! V recent times our youngest daughter was carried away by the Indians. She began to paint her face with war paint with everything that came to hand (felt-tip pens, paints, pens, ink, lipstick, etc.). For the head, she began to make herself jewelry out of paper, cutting out painted feathers and even asked her grandmother Lyuba to collect goose and chicken feathers.

And so, in again, The Universe heard about the interests of Olesyunka and sent us a letter from the "Holiday in Cuba" company with a proposal to test new game"Indians". We agreed with great joy.

Olesyunka wanted to immediately open the coveted box, but I quickly hid it so that my daughter would be more interested. After all, for a children's party you need good company, and we just had a trip to the grandmaster school in Anapa. We spent the holiday there.

New: By the way, a year later we spent another holiday with this box - see ""

Party for children "Indians"

What I especially like about the Holiday Cuba company is their complete preparation for the holiday. The box contains everything: detailed script, details for themed outfits, game props for contests and nice souvenirs-gifts.

(For reviews about our other holidays, see the articles "" and).

The game "Indians" was developed for children from 6 to 10 years old. This age was for our participants and it is just optimal.

NEW: We spent another holiday "" with children 4-10 years old. Great!

Game "We are Indians"

Let's remember what we know about the Indians:

There are a lot of Indian tribes. They live in the North and South America and communicate on different languages: Comanches, Sioux, Maya, etc.

The Indians make their dwellings - wigwams - from reeds and thin trees and cover them with bark, reeds, animal skins, etc.

The main occupations of the Indians: hunting, farming and fishing.

The Indians have great respect for their ancestors and believe in magic. Their tribes have shamans who heal the sick with spells and mysterious signs painted on the sand.

Choosing the name of an Indian

Each Indian has a special name that has a sacred meaning. The name is believed to protect its master. The name should not be called to strangers, lest they enchant the Indian.

Choosing a name, the Indians relied on fate: the name could have been dreamed in a dream, or some significant event had occurred.

In the box "Indians" there were 6 paper rectangles on which the names of the Indians were written:

• Zhavani - Southern sky
  Ogimabi - Chieftain of the Birds
  Miginu - Red Eagle
  Gineyash - Flying Eagle Feather
  Wabigek - White Hawk
  Kogwan - Iron Feather.

We turned the names over and the children blindly chose a name for themselves.

Defining the role of the Indian in the tribe

Each Indian has his own role in the tribe. Our children became a shaman, totem keeper, warrior, fisherman and explorer.

• Warrior - strong and brave, always ready to defend his tribe
  Explorer - knows everything about the lands on which his tribe lives
  Totem Keeper - guards the symbol of the tribe
  Hunter - always comes with prey
  Shaman - knows how to summon spirits and heal diseases
  Fisherman - knows where and how to catch big fish

The choice of the role was carried out in the same way as the name - blindly - according to notes. The notes were on round, like orders, colored self-adhesive pieces of paper, which were immediately glued to the clothes.

By the way, the children really liked the distribution of roles - almost everyone got a suitable role.

Only our Olesya was very upset at first and even cried a little. She got the role of "The Hunter". But we have her - a very sensitive vegetarian who adores animals. Olesya calmed down only after we clarified her role - "Hunter for chess cups in tournaments" 🙂

Indian Hats

Each newly minted Indian got 4 feathers, 1 base each ( paper strips) and elastic.

All that remains to be done is to paint the face.

War paint of the Indians

It is known that the Indians are very brave. They scare off their enemies with bright drawings on their faces. Our Indians chose patterns for themselves from the proposed designs.

And here are the beauties:

Most of all, the fighting was to the liking of the smallest 6-8-year-old Indian girls. They went out on an evening hunt for a walk on alert 🙂

Games "Indians"

We played for more than 2 hours:

• Studied Indian gestures
• Crafted their totem (Wise Turtle) and destroyed the enemy (Fighting Duck)
• Tested the tribe for agility, accuracy and concentration
• They decoded the "Ancient Message" on beans
• "Walked" along the edge of the Grand Canyon
• Launched the eagles

After all these games, our Indians found a treasure at the bottom of Lake Sunap and went to feast. Game "Indians" I liked the children so much that they kept the box with all the props and arranged new holidays for themselves several times 🙂 We thank the company "Holiday in Cuba" for the wonderful party for children .