The neck chokers were not only a very beautiful accessory to the Indians of the plains, but they had meaning and special significance as well. The woodland Natives wore more of the fully beaded neck pieces.
Chokers then and present day is made of hand tooled Buffalo bone, cut into an inch to inch and a half length sometimes the bones are much smaller lengths.
Which then has a hole burned all the way through the section of bone by a heated piece of metal, so it can be threaded with sinew or thread made from the dried intestines of the buffalo.
Then cut even pieces of Buffalo bones or even thick leather from the Buffalo hide or others to make what is called spacers, to separate the bones to fit around the neck. Also different colour glass shaped beads to place along between the beads and spacers. Then last but not least, the finishing centre piece could have been anything from a trade good piece of silver or they could have come across special feather or trade bead or both, to a hand carved figure head of a bear or eagle or turtle or anything special for that person. Remember that these neck pieces were wore as neck protection in battle, as well as ornamental.
The glass beads colours had meaning also, several examples would be like:
Red and black together would mean war, yellow and white peace, purple and cornflower blue or powder blue together was colours was for the medicine.
In the tribes and Nations, there was a meaning of what the number of rows meant..
One row was usually for the very young, which meant they were a member of that particular tribe or Nation.
Two rows was of a teen ager before they entered into their young adult hood or puberty.
Three rows were given in recognition of being a valuable young warrior or as a young maiden of the Nation or tribe.
Four rows was given to sub-chiefs or ones of high ranking among the people.
Five rows was only for the Principle Chiefs or Head Chief of the peoples.
This is only a small part of information, but hopefully it can help in understanding that what is worn by the indigeous native of the plains and woodland can and does have meaning. Our dress is part of our "living" hertiage, not to be called a costume as worn in a play or for halloween or a party.
The reason for placement, colour and symbology is as sacred to us as a Europen priest robes of faith to his, there is no difference.
