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I am wearing what traditionally Woodland Women of the 1700’s would have worn. I wear trade shirts made of documented prints that were greatly sought after by our Native women. My skirt is a wrap skirt. Most women wore their skirts calf length or to their knees. Some women never wore sashes but many did which were woven with wool which was fire resistant. My bag is made of jute. Back in the old days it would have been made from natural fibers. I am wearing center-seam moccasins which go up my calf. The length could vary from ankle or calf. I also wear turkey feathers in my hair. From time to time I will wear a matchcoat and I have trade silver earrings and brooches that adorn my attire. Lastly I wear shells, which are documented in historical papers. We used shells for a variety of things. I also wear face paint. Woodland woman have been documented in historical papers as using red ochre in and around their hairline, on their faces and in the part of their hair.
Feel free to contact Weeya Calif with comment, questions or concerns.
To see examples of feather capes, trade shirts, silver brooches and earrings, sashes, wrap skirts, leggings, match coat and moccasins being worn by modern Woodland Women, please click the news article links below.
Meet the new Teen Miss Cherokee, Cherokee One Feather
Thank you letter from Miss Cherokee 2014, Cherokee One Feather
Four to compete in Saturday’s Miss Cherokee pageant, Cherokee One Feather
2010 Miss Cherokee – See page 3, Smoky Mountain Living
2011 Little Miss Cherokee contestants traditional…, Cherokee One Feather
Thornton wins Miss Indian Summer crown, Cherokee Phoenix
Cherokee Museum of North Carolina
My grandmothers taught me that our people wore wrap skirts of leather and went topless. There were times we would wear a cape that was rounded or squared over our shoulders when the weather was colder. Many times we would go barefoot or wear moccasins. The length of the moccasin would vary depending on where we were living at the time. Being an enrolled Cherokee of The Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, I chose NOT to wear the tear dress. My people would have not worn this dress as it was created in the 60’s. It was and is a modern dress designed and adopted by the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma after a beauty pageant. I decided to wear an updated version of the wrap skirt & cape. So I extended the cape a little longer than usual and used a belt to hold it in place. I also extended the length of the skirt for personal reason. But, it is indeed a wrap skirt. My dress during my pow wow dancing for a few years was to wear the contemporary style I had designed.
Shells were included, as our people wore shells and adorned themselves with shells.
Face paint is worn by many contemporary pow wow dancers and for some has significant meaning while for others no meaning. For my family it has a special meaning, one of which I honor for my family. Long ago our women would adorn their faces, hairlines, cheeks with red ocher.
Many contemporary dancers wear animal skins, parts, etc. I was gifted a skunk to wear after my husband died. I called him my little stinker and we had a sweet skunk story we shared between the two of us. After he died, some dear friends of mine gifted me the skunk. Inside the pelt holds my deceased husbands braid. I promised him, I would carry this with me when I started dancing again so that he could be with me. I kept that promise. You see, he never was able to dance. He became too sick, too fast to go out and dance with me. So through his spirit and the skunk pelt, we danced together. This is how I honored him.
At the present, I do not wear my contemporary outfits as I have decided to wear historically correct, 18th Century time specific clothing. I may still break out my contemporary outfit from time to time, but for now, I will stay with the 18th Century historically correct.
