Marland's Grand Home Second Floor

Marland's Grand Home Tour
Patriarchal Native American Display

This room focuses on the patriarchal aspects of the Native American Indian, including a pair of Geronimos moccasins, several presidential peace medals and an eagle bone whistle belonging to Ponca Chief WhiteEagle. Beautiful war bonnets, bow and arrows, intricate and detailed beadwork not to mention a rare and culturally sensitive display of pipes and eagle feathers can be found along with a comprehensive photo exhibit. A side room highlights many different types of musical instruments.

Peace medals were given to North American Indians by the United States Government to promote peace between Indians and white men. First used by the English, French and Spanish colonist, the custom was adopted by the United States government immediately following its establishment.
Medals were presented to outstanding tribal chiefs and other tribal members by George Washington and continued until 1889.
Peace medals were highly valued and thought to be vested with the power to protect owners from sickness, harm or other ill fortunes. Many were buried with their owners while others were preserved as family heirlooms.

Pipes are still used and respected among the Plains Indians. There are sacred and ordinary pipes. The sacred pipe is usually made from red pipestone. Carved in the shape of an inverted T, the bowl goes up from the middle and is decorated with symbolic designs and has a decorated wooden stem. The Bowl and Stem are joined only during times of ceremony.

The bowl and stem are kept together and carried in a pipe bag called the container of the heart. The sacred pipe ceremony is an offering to God and communication to the Great Mystery that created us. The sacred pipe is offered for prayer and the smoke is said to create spiritual unity among all present. The ordinary pipe is L shaped. These too are decorated and carried around for everyone to smoke. The natural tobacco and red cherry bark commonly used to smoke are indigenous to the Americas.