This carving is my representation of a Teton Sioux Indian, with a full feathered warbonnet. The Teton Sioux were the westernmost nation of the Sioux. They have come to embody the buffalo/ horse/ Indian culture, due to their large role in late 19th century history of the Western frontier of the United States.
    The feathered warbonnet was worn only by those warriors who had proven their bravery in battle. Each feather represents an act of great courage.
     Cigar store Indians were an early American type of billboard. During the late 17th and early 18th century not all people were literate. Large carved figures were stationed out in front of shops to let people know the type of goods or services offered inside. Red and white spiraled barber poles are another example of these types of street advertisings. The cigar store Indians were used mainly by tobacco stores, and have remained one of the most enduring and recognizable examples of this early type of advertising.
     By carving my "cigar store" or "wooden" Indians in a realistic type representation of various tribes, I hope to lend an air of dignity and authenticity to the subjects of this traditional woodcarving artform.