INDIAN TRIBES OF THE

EASTERN wOODLANDS and

War In The Forest, a supplement for Chris Peers’s skirmish rules set A
Good Day to Die, was released in February of 2005. It covers warfare
in the eastern woodlands of North America during the 18th century,
involving encounters between settlers, Rangers, Coureurs du Bois,
and of course Indian war parties. Historically most of the fighting
pitted rival Indian tribes against each other, and War In The Forest
is especially suitable for this as it concentrates on bringing out the
differences in fighting styles and abilities between the most important
combatants. So it might be a good idea to distinguish the appearance
of the various woodland tribes, so that players of these and other rules
can paint up their figures to represent their favorite tribe. In this article
I shall look at the principal inhabitants of the Ohio Valley, the Great
Lakes region and the Southeast during the 18th century.

Fortunately for those who are not skilled victorious Five Nations of the Iroquois. and natives, but incursions by the Great
at conversions and modeling, figures Some of those who escaped fled south Lakes and New York tribes on behalf of
representing specific tribes are now and some north, but many went to the their European allies.
becoming available from Conquest Ohio Valley and its rich hunting grounds.
Miniatures of Rancho Cucamonga, Here they met tribes already established Miami
California. Their line now includes in the region such as the Miamis and The Miami were originally from the
Iroquois, Delaware and Sac and Fox, the Shawnees. Mostly they welcomed Great Lakes area, but migrated south into
as well as several packs of “generic” the refugees and allowed them to the Ohio Valley where they joined the
woodland Indians suitable for several settle on land that was not being used, Illinois Confederacy. The Miamis were
different tribes. though both they and the newcomers well respected as warriors. They bearded
later resisted white incursions into their
The Ohio Valley
hunting grounds. During the 18th century the Iroquois on at least one occasion, and
The Beaver Wars of the mid to late the immigration of Anglo-American in the 1790s, under Little Turtle, they
17th century saw many tribes such as colonists, and the efforts by the French were responsible for the worst defeat
the Eries, Neutrals, Hurons, Petuns, to bring the Ohio Valley tribes into their ever suffered by the U.S. army in its wars
Delawares and Susquehannocks system of trade and fur production, with the Indians. Unlike most of the Ohio
destroyed, scattered, or absorbed by the provoked not just conflict between whites Valley tribes the Miamis were not friends
of the French. They often traded with the Delaware name of one of their original tribes, the
British, but they were of an independent Hurons, who were staunch allies of the
The Leni-Lenape, as the Delaware
cast of mind, and bitterly resisted the French. The Wyandots were a faction
called themselves, were once a powerful
incursions of Anglo-American settlers. of these people who emigrated to the
confederacy along the Atlantic coast.
Sandusky region of the Ohio Valley.
Miami men wore very little; in summer They had an advanced culture, including
The Hurons ended up in Minnesota,

1800 - 1900
just a breechclout and moccasins, plus a form of picture writing, and the other

OLD west
and throughout the 18th century they
in winter a deerskin shirt of simple cut. Algonquian speaking tribes regarded
tried, in company with their allies the
Deerskins were generally dyed red, and them as the originators of their culture,
Ottawa, to drive the Sioux from their
sometimes painted in the manner of the calling them “grandfathers”. Decimated
lands. (They were largely unsuccessful in
Plains Indians. Breechclouts were also by disease and wars with the Europeans
this, despite possessing more guns than
red, which was a favourite Miami colour. and Iroquois during the 16th and 17th
their enemies.) The Wyandots joined the
Leggings were worn on special occasions centuries, they were eventually driven
Delawares and Shawnees in opposing the
and were knee or thigh length, gartered first into Pennsylvania and then Ohio.
settlement of the Ohio Valley by Whites.
at the knees. The front and bottom of The Iroquois claimed to have defeated
Both Wyandots and Hurons resembled
each leg were decorated by embroidered them and reduced them to the status of
their Algonquian speaking allies in their
bands. The roach was commonly worn by “women” (meaning that they surrendered
way of life more than they did their
warriors; sometimes the entire head was their political independence to the
Iroquoian cousins, though they were
shaved leaving a tuft at the crown, and League). Despite this the Delawares
never the woodsmen or canoemen that
other men wore their hair short except were regarded as first rate woodsmen
the Algonquians were.
for long locks dangling in front of and and formidable warriors, who had a
behind the ears. reputation for ferocity despite mostly Huron and Wyandot men wore fitted
being of only medium stature. In the 18th breechclouts, with flaps to mid thigh in
Red facial paint was extensively used,
century they were bitter enemies of the front and back, and thigh length leggings
with black sometimes added. The body
Anglo-Americans, who took their best tied to a belt with thongs. Sleeveless
was often painted brown. Men were also
lands in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. tunics or ponchos were favoured in cooler
tattooed with elaborate designs, such
(This was done with the permission of weather. Decoration on the clothing
as seven parallel lines on the nose and
the Iroquois, who did a brisk business consisted of bands of quillwork or moose-
cheeks, and ten on the chin.
selling the lands of the tribes they had hair embroidery in reds and browns.
Shawnee supposedly conquered to the British!)
Garments were sometimes painted in
The Shawnee (meaning “southerners”) Delaware warriors wore breechclouts floral designs, and occasionally had long
were wanderers who were often invited with flaps in front and back, and thigh fringes attached. A variety of hair styles
by other tribes to live among them length leggings of deerskin fastened at were worn. These included shaved heads
because of their reputation as fighters. the sides with thongs and gartered just with the roach; shaved heads with a tuft
An Algonquian speaking people closely below the knees. Tanned deerskin cloaks left on top and a scalplock; half the head
related to the Sac and Fox, they inhabited were worn fastened at the neck leaving shaved with the hair left long on the other
a region which stretched from the the arms free, and were sometimes draped half; hair worn loose; or in two large rolls
Great Lakes region to the Carolinas. over one shoulder and belted. Clothing over the ears with the rest of the head
The Shawnee claimed to have been was decorated with concentric circles or shaved. A chief’s headdress was a cap of
responsible for preventing the Iroquois spirals of shell beads. Winter robes of fur feathers with an embroidered headband
from completing their conquest of the (bear, wildcat, beaver, wolf and raccoon rising to a peak at the front. Both
Ohio Valley, and they resisted white sewn together) were also worn. Most tribes dyed their buckskin clothing and
expansion more fiercely than any other men wore their hair long and loose, either moccasins black. Few men were tattooed,
tribe. They threw up a great leader in with a wampum-decorated headband but faces and bodies were painted with
Tecumseh, who in 1811 came closer or gathered at the back like a ponytail, geometric designs or representations of
than anyone to creating a pan-Indian though some followed the dominant animals and humans. Black, red, green
confederacy which might have slowed or fashion in the woodlands of shaving the and violet paints were most popular.
even halted the westward expansion of head and leaving a scalplock hanging
Mingo
the White frontier. behind. Sometimes a brush of stiff hair
was left standing two to three inches high The Mingos were a dissident Iroquois
In their overall appearance they were
from forehead to nape, combined with faction who settled in the lands which the
rather plain compared to the other tribes.
a scalplock. Chiefs might wear a crown Five Nations claimed to have conquered
Men wore tanned leather breechclouts
of upstanding turkey feathers dyed red. from the local tribes. They usually
with a short flap in front, and deerskin
Delawares tattooed their faces and bodies ignored the policies of the League, and
leggings gartered below the knee, fringed
with animal figures. The face was often were generally pro-French. Their towns
along the side seams and fastened to a
painted with geometric or animal designs often contained members of all the local
belt with straps. Other ornamentation was
in black, red, white, and yellow. Figures tribes, including Delawares, Wyandots,
rarely used; when it was, arrow, chevron,
are easily obtained: Conquest produce and Shawnees. They were very bitter
and zigzag designs were preferred. The
a pack, and the Stockbridge Indians in against the white settlers, especially
roach was rarely worn. Men either shaved
the Perry Miniatures range (who were after some of these killed Chief Logan’s
their heads in front and attached feathers
basically the same people) would also do family in a very brutal manner.
at the back, or left the hair long and
nicely.
loose. Some wrapped their long woven Men wore tanned leather breechclouts
sashes round their heads like turbans. Huron or Wyandot with rather short ends at front and
Face paint was usually red. Some of back. Knee length kilts held in place
These people were the remnants of the
the Perry Miniatures figures from their with a belt were worn for ceremonies.
Iroquoian speaking confederacies which
American War of Independence range Leggings were loose and long, partially
had been smashed by their relatives
which have the front of the head shaved covering the moccasins and dragging on
of the Five Nations during the 17th
and the hair left long at the back, or the the ground. They were sewn up in front
century. The scattered refugees reunited
large scalplocks and no roach, will do with an embroidered strip covering the
in the Great Lakes region under the
quite well for Shawnees. seam, gartered above the knee, and rarely
fringed. Simple mid-length tunics were Chippewa and Ojibwa except for a brush or roach on top and a
worn, made of two pieces of buckskin scalplock hanging behind. Others coiled
The Chippewas were a numerous tribe their braids on top of their heads and
fastened at the shoulders and fringed
of hunter-gatherers who lived between wrapped them in bark to make them stand
on the bottom. Decoration was in arrow
Hudson’s Bay and the Great Lakes. They erect. Hair could be painted with red or
and chevron designs, or white beadwork
consisted of many loosely organized yellow paint. Ojibwa moccasins were
in lacy patterns on a dark (often blue)
background. Heads were shaved except bands. Their closest relatives were the often dyed black. Faces and bodies were
for a scalplock. Many wore the roach. Ottawa and the Potawatomi, and together painted in dots, bars, patches and other
Chiefs wore a gustoweh skull cap on a these peoples were known as the Three
simple designs using red ochre and black
frame, with overlapping layers of feathers Fires Confederacy. The western bands of
charcoal or soot. Men were extensively
hanging down all round, and between one the Chippewa generally went under the
tattooed, and their bodies were often
and three feathers held upright in a bone name Ojibwa, and most of the remarks
covered with various designs.
socket. A black rectangle or three stripes here also apply to them. The Chippewa
were painted on each cheek. Many men were formidable warriors, who more Fox
sported spectacular tattooing, consisting than held their own against the Iroquois
The Fox were an Algonquian speaking
of double-curve motifs, geometric and were a major factor in stopping their
people who may have originally come
designs and clan crests. (All the notes invasion of the Great Lakes region. They
from the Michigan Peninsula. They
on the appearance of the Mingos apply were among the staunchest allies of the
were part of the confederacy known as
equally well to the Iroquois tribes of French, and frequently fought the British
the Fire Nation, which also included the
the Five Nations - Senecas, Cayugas, and other tribes on their behalf. War
Sac, Kickapoo and Mascouten who had
Oneidas, Onondagas and Mohawks - who parties frequently went south against the
been driven into Wisconsin during the
were still based in New York state. This Catawba after those people began killing
invasions of the Great Lakes region by
of course means that Iroquois figures French trappers.
the refugees fleeing from the Iroquois.
could be used to represent Mingos.) Chippewa men wore breechclouts with The Fox were especially formidable
The Great Lakes long flaps in front and back. Sometimes fighters, but in the 18th century they
a kilt-like garment fringed at the bottom unwisely chose to single-handedly
The tribes living in the Great Lakes was worn instead. Leggings were close- oppose the French, while simultaneously
region, north of the Ohio Valley, were fitting; either gartered below the knees, alienating most of their neighbours. This
originally mostly speakers of various or thigh length and tied with thongs or resulted in the near destruction of the
Algonquian languages. They did some straps to a belt. Buckskin ponchos were Fox Nation. The remnants were taken in
farming, but mainly lived by hunting common in cool weather. Men wore their by the Sacs and incorporated into what
and fishing. In the 1680s and 1690s there hair loose, or occasionally braided with became known as the Sac (or Sauk) and
was a massive invasion of the area by the a scalplock at the back; warriors liked Fox Nation.
survivors of tribes broken by Iroquois to stiffen this scalplock so it stood up
attacks. These refugees were remnants Fox men wore breechclout and moccasins
straight for several inches. Red, black,
of confederacies like the Huron, Erie, in summer, with thigh length leggings
green and yellow paint was used for war,
and Neutrals, plus various Algonquin and a shirt added in winter. Leggings had
with green spots sometimes painted in an
speaking bands. They forced their way fringes at the sides, and large pointed
arc across the face.
into the Great Lakes region, slaughtering flaps at the bottom which covered most
and driving out the indigenous nations. Ojibwa men favoured buckskin shirts, of the foot. They were seamed up the
Eventually the French intervened. embroidered and painted, with attached front and sometimes had garters of fur.
They rallied the Great Lakes tribes, and scalplocks like those of the Plains tribes. Garments were lavishly decorated with
persuaded them to make peace with the Leggings were decorated with porcupine geometric quillwork and, later in the
invaders and together turn on the Iroquois quillwork and moosehair embroidery. Skin period, floral and traditional moosehair
and their British allies. Eventually a garments were frequently dyed black and embroidery. This decoration was much
measure of stability returned to the edged with short fringes. Some men wore more elaborate than among the allied Sac.
region, which remained a bastion of their hair long, hanging naturally. Others Clothing could also be painted in bright
anti-British sentiment through Pontiac’s wore it in two or four braids. Successful hues in solids and stripes, or figures and
rebellion in the 1760s. warriors, in particular, shaved the head designs like those of the Miami. The
roach hairstyle was almost universal, flaps in front and back, decorated with A few men wore the roach for war,
though there was one section of the tribe quillwork. Leggings, when worn, were usually with a roach spreader and one
who wore their hair long and loose. simple thigh length tubes of hide, fringed or two feathers inserted in a swiveling
Other men shaved the head, leaving a tuft on the outside seams and gartered just socket. Headdresses made of rawhide
running from front to back or side to side, below the knees. Some men favoured with buffalo horns and grizzly-bear
and a scalplock hanging from the crown. the roach, but the head was more often claws could also be worn. Warriors
The tuft was sometimes shaved, leaving shaved except for a scalplock hanging painted their faces and bodies red, black
just the scalplock and roach, and the top from the crown, and a central tuft running or green. A hand painted on the face or
part of the shaved skull was then painted front to back and decreasing in height breast signified a man who had killed an
red. Some Fox warriors wore a turban towards the back. Hair could also be enemy, and men who had gone on the
made of otter fur, and a few sported worn in two or four braids sometimes warpath in winter commemorated this
buffalo horn headdresses captured from wrapped in fur or thongs. Yet others feat by painting their legs white.
enemies like the Sioux and Iowa. They allowed the hair to hang loose or shaved
The Southeast
liked red and black pigments, and some it all except for a tuft at the crown. Men
chiefs illustrated by a European artist were commonly tattooed with designs South of the Ohio Valley, and stretching
had their faces painted blue. Yellow, red including lizards, snakes, and geometrical from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic,
and black stripes could be painted on the figures, sometimes covering the entire was a region inhabited by some of the
lower half of the face. Among the Fox body. The face and body were painted in most advanced tribes in North America
and the Sac, hands painted on the body red, brown, green and black. - so much so that they later became
denoted an enemy killed in hand to hand known as the Five Civilized tribes.
Potawatomi
combat. Sac and Fox figures are available Despite this the Southeastern peoples
in the Conquest range. The Potawatomi were close relatives of were extremely warlike, and bitterly
the Chippewa and Ottawa. They wore resisted both the incursions of the
Sac
tanned leather breechclouts with quillwork Iroquois from the north and the advance
Closely related to the Fox and Kickapoo, bands at the bottom, and flaps hanging of White settlement.
the Sac were allies of the French. They down to the knees at front and back.
Catawba
moved south into the territory of the Leggings were deerskin, thigh length,
Illinois Confederacy in the 18th century, fringed down the side seams and gartered The Catawba were one of a number
occupying the area around the Rock below the knees. Unseamed pieces of of Siouan-speaking tribes inhabiting
and Mississippi Rivers. Sac men wore tanned skin were worn for shirts. The the Carolina Piedmont country, east of
the usual breechclout and moccasins in Potawatomi decorated these garments with the Appalachians. During the late 17th
summer, with a robe added in winter. The quillwork in geometric designs, and with century they absorbed other tribes which
breechclouts, usually painted red, were of dyed moosehair in modified floral patterns. had been weakened by the English
the fitted type without flaps. Hip length Warriors generally shaved their heads colonists and the diseases they had
leggings of deer or elk skin were also and wore the roach. The most common brought with them, so that by the early
worn. These were whitened with clay and style was a tuft of hair from front to back 18th century they were an agglomeration
decorated with porcupine quillwork and with a scalplock hanging down; a single of many different nations, and a variety
fringes at the sides. Geometric quillwork eagle feather was often added at the back. of languages could be heard in the
and abstract floral moosehair embroidery Warriors painted their faces red and black, Catawba towns. They allied themselves
were used for decoration. Hairstyles and the upper face frequently being all black, closely to the colony of South Carolina,
headdresses were similar to those of the and the eyes ringed in red and/or black. and fought loyally for the British
Fox. For painting the face and body, throughout the Colonial Wars. They
Winnebago
white and black pigments were favoured, helped the British destroy French posts
with the eyes often rimmed in red paint. The Winnebago were a Siouan speaking along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and
White stripes were sometimes painted tribe from Wisconsin. Early traditions the French responded by embroiling
round the arms and legs. connect the Winnebagos with the their Great Lakes allies in constant wars
northernmost Mound Builder centre with the Catawba. The Iroquois also
Ottawa
of Azatalan. Perhaps because of this raided as far south as the Carolinas, and
The Ottawa lived too far north for exalted ancestry they were said to be a bitter and protracted war broke out
agriculture, their land was poor in the haughty and arrogant, looking down between the League and the Catawbas,
wild rice so abundant in the land of on the surrounding tribes as inferior. who stubbornly refused to be beaten
the Chippewas, and there were few fur They also had a reputation for treachery into submission. This situation was
bearing animals in their country. So they and cannibalism. The Winnebagos much to the discomfiture of the British,
had little choice but to become traders. occasionally sent warriors to help the
This honed their diplomatic skills, French, but mostly they stayed neutral.
and they eventually produced one of They wore breechclouts consisting of
the greatest Native American leaders, an underpiece and two separate
Pontiac, who led a great revolt against apron flaps, or a long, single
the British in 1763. The Ottawas had a piece of material ending in
reputation for cunning, treachery and flaps. These were of elk or
cruelty, but proved loyal to the French, deerskin, painted red or black.
and became the nucleus of anti-British Leggings were also made of elk or deer
hostility after the French and Indian War. hide. They were usually knee length
and gartered below the knees. In cooler
The French often remarked on the
weather a poncho type shirt reaching to
prevalence of nudity among the Ottawas.
the hips was worn. Shirts and leggings
Men usually wore only a robe and
had short fringes. Men wore their hair
moccasins, though sometimes a fitted
either in two braids, or just clumped on
leather breechclout was seen with
either side and fastened with thongs.
who relied on both tribes as allies. The
Catawbas were ferocious warriors with
a fearsome reputation. Early in the 18th
century they helped South Carolina
destroy the Tuscaroras, and drove the
remnants north to become the Sixth
Nation of the Iroquois. They also fought
the Cherokees, Delawares and Shawnees
- driving several bands of the latter
from North Carolina into Pennsylvania.
However constant warfare and disease
steadily reduced their numbers as the
18th century wore on.
Already by the early 18th century the
Catawbas had long been under British
influence. While buckskin garments
were still seen, most men wore muslin,
calico or linen. Breechclouts and
leggings were often made of red or
blue wool strouding. Shirts might
be decorated with complex patterns.
Unlike their neighbours Catawba men
Cherokee Skin breechclouts of the apron type were
wore their hair long, often pulled back
universal. Knee length leggings could
into a ponytail style. The roach was The Cherokee were the southernmost
also be worn, and in cooler weather a
apparently not worn, but some chiefs of the Iroquoian speaking tribes. Like
light skin poncho. From the middle of
wore headdresses of upstanding turkey their Iroquoian cousins they were very
the 18th century European style cloth
feathers. One of the most distinctive warlike, though they fared poorly
shirts became available. Quillwork was
features of their appearance was against both the Catawbas and the
rare, but some floral beadwork was done
the practice of cranial deformation, Chickasaws. Conflict with their cousins
on pouches and shoulder bags, with
which led their enemies to call them of the Five Nations was common, with
circular motifs being the most popular.
“flatheads” - though this custom had the Iroquois usually the aggressors.
Men shaved their heads except for a
probably died out by the mid 18th The Cherokees often responded to an
roach running from front to back on
century. Moccasins were worn on the Iroquois raid by sending one warrior
top of the head, often with a fringe of
war trail, although the men often went north single-handed to collect a scalp.
hair along the forehead. The roach was
barefoot at home. The Catawba had a Cherokees and Shawnees also fought
frequently augmented by opossum or
very distinctive style of war paint: the constantly, and the honours were about
deer hair dyed red or yellow. Symbols
lower face was black or red, with a even. The formidable warriors of the
such as flowers, animals and stars were
white circle around one eye and a black Chickasaw, Catawba and Shawnee
tattooed on the arms, torso, and thighs.
circle around the other. Combined with aside, the Cherokee more than held
Warriors used red paint to signify
their deformed skulls the effect must their own against other Indian enemies.
success, blue for trouble or defeat,
have been terrifying. Ignoring the They usually sided with the British,
black for death, and white for peace and
“flat heads”, the Conquest Delaware but early in the 19th century it became
happiness. Red and black were therefore
figures with clothing painted as cloth apparent that the Americans were now
the most popular war colours.
instead of buckskin would make too powerful to be resisted, and they
excellent Catawbas. reluctantly agreed to be moved west.
Chickasaw threads might be wrapped around the name comes from the fact that many
head, with the ends hanging down like of their towns were located near the
If the Great Lakes was a French
tassels. Like other Southeastern tribes tributaries of rivers. Highly organised
stronghold, the Southeast was a British
the Chickasaw often went barefoot. Red, into White (peace) towns and Red (war)
one. Probably the most formidable allies
yellow and white paints were used. War towns under powerful chiefs, the Creeks
the British had in the region were the
captains were extensively tattooed with were less individualistic than most other
Chickasaws. They were closely related
figures of serpents and similar motifs. tribes in the Eastern Woodlands. They
to the Choctaws, and both tribes have
were staunch British allies, but they
a tradition of having been originally Choctaw
warred among themselves at times, and
one people. Despite this, by the 18th
Less warlike and more easygoing than also against the Cherokees.
Century they were bitter enemies, the
Choctaws being the main French allies their Chickasaw cousins, the Choctaws
Fitted breechclouts hanging down in
in the Southeast. The Chickasaws fought were nonetheless respected warriors.
front and behind were worn. Leather
no fewer than five wars against the They were a numerous people and
leggings were dyed black, laced with
French and whipped them every time. absorbed remnants of the Natchez,
white thongs, and bordered with fringes
They also fought and beat virtually Tunica, Atakapa, and other Mississippi
of coloured leather. Men wore the roach
every other tribe within reach of them and Louisiana tribes after these were
on the front of the head with a braid on
- particularly the Illinois Confederacy, shattered by smallpox and wars with
each side, and a scalplock pulled back
the Shawnees and the Cherokees. In fact the French in the first quarter of the
through a hair tube hanging behind.
the Chickasaws - who became known as 18th century. Despite this the Choctaws
Another kind of roach like those of the
“the unconquered and unconquerable” were staunch allies of the French, and
Choctaw, which widened at the back
- never lost a war in their recorded remained loyal to them until the end.
of the head, was sometimes seen. A
history, and kept their record perfect by Breechclouts were simple fitted affairs tonsure like a monk’s, with a fringe all
packing up and migrating to the west of blue strouding with front and back around the head, was also worn by some
in the 1830s when it became apparent flaps. Leggings were seldom worn. warriors. Moccasins, when worn, were
that the Whites were too strong for From the mid-18th century cloth made from bison or deer hide. Creek
them. Like their Creek cousins they shirts were widespread. Men wore warriors extensively tattooed themselves
were Muskhogean speakers who divided their hair long and ornamented it with with stars, crescents, scrolls, flowers,
their tribe into two clans, or moieties colourful feathers. The roach was worn animals and sun designs, usually placed
- the White (or peace) and Red (or in a distinctive style, consisting of an in the center of the chest. The head,
war), who occupied separate Red and upright fringe on top, which widened neck and breast were often painted
White towns. Some scholars think the at the back to cover the lower part vermillion.
Chickasaws may have originally been of the head and the back of the neck.
the Red moiety of the larger Choctaw- Note: By the early 19th century all
Deerskin moccasins decorated with
Chickasaw tribe, which might account the tribes discussed were wearing a
beads and feathers were worn, though
for their extreme proficiency in war. lot of cloth manufactured in England
it was common to go barefoot. Like
or America, mainly calicoes and red
Deerskin breechclouts were universally the Catawba, the Choctaw were said to
or blue strouding. At this period cloth
worn. In cooler weather a light skin practice head flattening. Tattooing was
sashes were often worn around the head
poncho was popular, and from the far less common than it was among the
like a turban.
middle of the 18th century cloth shirts Chickasaw or Cherokee, but the men
were often seen. Men shaved their heads painted themselves with designs of suns, Useful Sources
except for a roach from front to back swastikas and serpents.
Paterek, Josephine, Encyclopedia
on top of the head, often with a fringe Creek of American Indian Costume, W.W.
of hair along the forehead. They would Norton, New York, 1994.
fasten feathers, the skin of a hawk, or a The Creeks were related to the
red bird’s wing to this scalplock. At the Choctaws and Chickasaws. They Hyde, George E., Indians of the
crown of the head a large conch-shell were not a single tribe, but rather a Woodlands From Prehistoric Times to
bead was sometimes fixed. A skein of confederacy which had absorbed a 1725, Norman, Oklahoma 1962.
number of tribes in the Southeast. Their
Woodland Longhouses I always make sure that the twigs are
well dried and always remove the bark
with rough sandpaper. Well, with that
Words & pictures by Herb Gundt being said we can move on to the actual
conversion work.

This past summer I designed two I decided to make the Large Longhouse I drilled holes into the base for the main
Woodland Indian Longhouse (#500-100) into, what I call, a council supports and the effigy or scalp pole.
house. I wanted to add a screened I will discuss the effigy pole in more
masters for Conquest Miniatures’
awning to both the front and back detail later. I cut eight pieces of twig
500 Nations Range of Woodland 1 3⁄4’’ long and glued them into the
Native Americans. Eric Roof, entries. I started the project by cutting
a 1⁄8’’ hardboard base that was large previously drilled holes. I next cut four
the proprietor of Conquest 3 1⁄2’’ long pieces for the horizontal
enough to accommodate the extended
Miniatures, talked with me about entry supports and attached them to
entry areas. I opted to use maple and
doing some conversions to the oak twigs for most of the new model
the vertical supports. The screening
resin reproductions of the two was made from 1⁄16’’ diameter basket
carpentry, since wood doweling is just
longhouses; the point of this weaving reed, cut into 1 3⁄8’’ long pieces
too uniform for this project. I’ve been
exercise being to show gamers and glued to the horizontal supports.
collecting maple and oak twigs for
how to create variants for a years, mainly when I was out mowing I fabricated the effigy pole from a 4’’
Woodland Indian village, using my lawn, because they are handy to long twig, a 1’’ long reed, two pieces
only two different resin castings. have around when doing model work. of twine and some thread. I glued the
reed crosswise onto the twig and then
wrapped thread around both pieces to
represent binding. I glued a section of
twine to the top of each side of the reed
cross piece, wrapped the twine around
the reed and tied it off with thread. I
used a toothpick to tease out the twine,
coated the twine with white glue and
water and attached the effigy pole to
the base.
I used 1⁄16’’ thick card and tree wrap
to make the roofs. Tree Wrap is used
by gardeners and is a material that
comes on a 3’’ wide roll and resembles
heavy crepe paper. The tree wrap was
cut into random sized pieces and glued
to the card roof. This is a good place to
pause on the description of the larger
model and move on to the smaller
longhouse conversion.
I wanted to use the Small Longhouse
(#500-99) to make a Jesuit mission.
Once again I cut a base large enough
to accommodate two covered entries
and, in the case of the mission, a bell
on a timber frame.
I made the entry walls, for the Mission,
by gluing six pieces of twig together for
each wall. Once the wall sections were
dry, I cut the roof slope of the walls with
a dremel tool and then glued the walls to
the model. The mission roofs were made
using the same technique as with the
council house roofs.
The two vertical supports of the bell
frame were made from three pieces, with
the outer logs being 1 1⁄4’’ tall and the
center log an eighth of an inch shorter.
The two assemblies were then glued to
the base 7⁄8’’ apart from each other. The
horizontal bell support was cut 1 1⁄4’’
long, with a hole drilled in the center
for the bell and another drilled on one
end for a handle. The handle was made
from a piece of wire that was cut 3⁄4’’
long and glued to the end of the support.
The brass holiday bell was next attached
to the support and thread was wrapped
around the bell, support and handle to
once again represent binding.
The cross was made from two pieces of
reed that were glued together and then
bound with thread. A hole was drilled in
the front upper center of the longhouse
and the completed cross glued in place.
I used dark olive drab as a base color for
all of the various pieces, although dark
brown would be a good color choice for
variation. Everything was dry-brushed
with raw sienna, barn gray and gray. The
bell was painted dark brown and then
dry-brushed with bronze and aged brass.
The “scalps” hanging on the effigy pole
were painted dark brown and black.
After all of the painting was complete,
I glued the longhouses to their bases
and then glued all of the roofs and bell
into place. I used earth tone chalks to
further highlight the buildings. I planted
green twine, around the perimeters of
the models, using white glue to keep the
twine in place. With the white glue dry,
I applied dirt flocking to the bases and
then followed that with an application of
green flocking. The green twine weeds
were teased apart with a toothpick and
then dry-brushed with leaf green and
yellow ochre. I allowed the models to
completely dry for 24 hours and then
gave them a finish of Dull Cote to lock
in the chalk finish.
Useful information
Conquest Miniatures
www.conquestminiatures.com
Sketch Book 56 Volume 6
Indian Allies by Ted Spring
The Art of Robert Griffing
text by George Irvin
American Woodland Islands
text by Michael G. Johnson
Tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy
text by Michael Johnson
Tuttle Tree Wrap Drainage Industries, 300
N. Lilas Drive, Appleton, WI 54915