Bloodstained feathers..

Thomas Breeze Marcus, "Hethuska Two Feathers", 2013

NEW ACQUISITION  to the gallery:

Two humble-looking feathers, a work by artist Thomas Breeze Marcus (Tohono O’odham and Akimel O’odham).

Here, – their story in Breeze Marcus’s own words:

– ”My blood line on my family’s Ponca side. As the story goes, a Ponca Warrior was out by himself hunting and came across two enemies near his camp. The Ponca Warrior surprised the two, capturing them and tied them up, then killing and mutilating one of the enemies. The Ponca man then released the other enemy making him carry the mutilated body back to tell the others to stay away from his people, –  or he would do the same to all of them…

To this day in the Ponca Hethuska Society or Warriors Society, a single feather (sometimes two) is worn on top of the Straight Dance Regalia.  Being passed down through generations, our family in the Hethuska wear two feathers with the outfit… symbolizing the two enemies from the old story. My uncle (my mom’s younger brother) wears two during the dances in honor of the story, and the rights passed down to our family. ”