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War Paint 3

The Indigenous People of the United States

Discover interesting facts and information about the history and culture of Native American Indians and their tribes

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Facts and information about the History and

Warrior Culture of Native Americans including
the subject of War Paint.

Many of the Pictures and Images of Native

Americans on this website depict Indians with
full war paint in different shapes, colors,
symbols and designs. Each tribe had its own
designs and painted their bodies and faces
for rituals, dances and for battle.

Discover how war paint was made and

applied and the meanings and reasons it was
worn.

Native American Culture

Native Indian Tribes Index

Native American Culture - War Paint
Many of the pictures and images of Native Americans depict the Indians in full war paint. Many tribes of Native Americans
painted their bodies and faces for rituals, dances and for battle. The designs painted were believed to hold magic powers
for protection. Colors and images were also used to make the warriors, chiefs and braves to look more ferocious. Their
objectives were achieved! Native American Indians even painted their horses and ponies decorating them with with war
symbols or symbols of power, see Horse War Paint.

The Warrior Culture - War Paint

Native American Indians had a highly complex warrior culture, especially those who lived on the Great Plains. Their religion
was dominated by rituals and belief in a spiritual connection with nature. In their religion they blended rituals by promoting
and preserving their hunting and the survival of it's people with showing respect to the spirit. Their beliefs were handed
down from one generation to another. Experienced warriors were held in the highest esteem. The achievements of
warriors were often reflected in the symbolic images of their war paint. The clothes, tepees and all of his belongings was
decorated with the symbolism of his achievements and acts of heroism or his various spirit guides. Every mark on the face
and body of an American Native Indian had meaning.

The Warrior Culture - War Paint of the Akicita

The American Indian Akicita were the Warriors and Elders who had considerable powers in policing and organizing some
North American tribes. The war paint and insignia of an Akicita of the Lakota Sioux had specific meanings as to their roles

and responsibilities. The marshall of a war party would have war paint depicting two black stripes on the right cheek. A
marshal of an Indian camp had a black stripe painted on the right cheek from the corner of the eye to the jaw line. A
ceremonial marshal who organised Pow-Wows and large council meetings had a red parallel stripe.

Meanings of War Paint shown on the Picture

The following types of symbols can be see in the above picture depicting the War Paint on the Iowa warrior. Hand print
meanings. The Hand Symbol indicates that the warrior has been successful in hand-to-hand combat.

The zig-zag line meaning across the forehead symbolizes lightning which was believed to add power and speed to the
warrior.

The Great Plains Indians culture abounds with many more examples of this usage of symbols and their different meanings.
For more, meanings, facts and info see Native American Symbols.

War Paint - Meaning of colors of War Paint, Body Paint or Face Painting
There were so many tribes of Native American Indians it is only possible to generalise the most common meanings of the
colors and patterns of War Paint, Body Paint or Face Paint.

Red Color Symbolizes war, blood, strength, energy, power and success in war paint but might also symbolise
happiness and beauty in face paint

Black was perceived as a "living" color and worn on the face to prepare for war. Very aggressive color. Black meant
strength. It might also indicated that the wearer was a powerful warrior who had proved himself in battle. Black was
also used to symbolize victory and might be applied before returning home to the camp
 White Color Symbolizes mourning. White was also the color of peace when it was used as face paint.

Blue Color Symbolizes wisdom, confidence

Yellow Color Symbolizes the color of death. Yellow also indicated that the wearer was heroic, had led a good life and
was willing to fight to the death. It also symbolised intellect

Green Color Symbolizes endurance. Green is associated with harmony and is a great healing power and believed to
improve vision

The colors Purple and Brown were not used as face or war paint

For additional facts and info about colors see the article on Color Meanings Symbolism.

Reasons for War Paint, Body Paint or Face Painting

Native American Indians made use of Face Painting or Body Paint for various reasons:

War paint - war paint to intimidate their enemies when going into battle or during warfare - this where the term "War
Paint" was originally derived

Marks of Distinction and Honor: War Paint, Face and Body paint for certain tribes would indicate achievements and
success

Camouflage - Paint was used as camouflage for both hunting and warfare enabling the wearer to blend into the
environment and exercise the element of surprise

Ceremonies, Dances and Rituals: Specific colors and patterns were applied

Visual Messages: Victory, Mourning etc were indicated by the application of face and body paint

Mental Preparation: Medicine Men often chose certain markings for warriors and that powerful magic was passed on
during the application of the war paint helping the warrior to believe himself invincible. Paint was used as an element
in Spiritual Healing

Power and Magic: It was believed that the application of certain symbols and colors afforded the wearer with 'Magic'
for power and protection by drawing on natural powers and combining these with the power of the warrior. Symbols
included stripes, circles and triangles

Protection: Paint was commonly used to protected the skin from insects, the sun, the wind and the cold. Red ochre
was in plentiful supply so this was the most common application, hence the term 'Redskins'

Decoration: War paint, Face paint and Body paint was applied as decoration, just as we use make-up today. Women
of certain tribes also used face and body paints for decoration

War Paint - Making War Paints

The Native Indians made war paint from the natural resources that were available to them to make different colored dyes
and pigments. Paint in its simplest form, consists of ground up pigment suspended in some sort of liquid, or binder such as
urine, spit, egg yolks, animal fat and blood.
urine, spit, egg yolks, animal fat and blood.

Red - Red clays containing oxides of iron, roots, berries, barks and beets. The Lachnanthes plant commonly known
as redroot native to eastern North America Redroot and also used as red war paint. When the root is crushed it
"bleeds" a reddish dye. Bloodroot plants are also used to produce red war paint. Red was predominately used for
painting because of its availability

White - White kaolin clays, limestone, ground gypsum, eggshells or sea shells

Black - To create black paint coal or charcoal, mixed with spit or animal fat, was commonly used as well as wild
grapes and the bark and ashes from various trees and shrubs including Devils Club

Yellow: A yellow pigment which was made from flowers, berries, barks, plants or moss. A yellow substance found in
some internal organs of the buffalo was also used to produce the yellow paint

Blue - Blue paint was obtained from oxides, powdered azurite and lapis, sun flower seeds, duck manure, clays,
berries and flowers

Green - Green paint was made from flowers, berries, moss or algae

Pink - Pink war paint was made from the juice of the Virginia Creeper, a woody vine, native to eastern and central
North America

Orange/Yellow - The bixa, also known as annatto is a bushy shrub or small tree. Native Americans made a paste from
annatto for a bright orangey-yellow war paint

Purple - Purple coneflowers, Blueberries and hibiscus all produced a purple pigment used as paint

War Paint - Application of War Paint, Body Paint or Face Painting

Native American Indians prepared the paint which was then dried and stored as a powder. The paint powder was kept in
deerskin pouches which could be carried with them

War Paint - Application of War Paint, Body Paint or Face Painting

Native American Indians first smeared their bodies with buffalo or deer fat and then rubbed on the paint. To add additional
power the paint might be applied by the Medicine Man. War paint was applied with the fingers, animal bones, sticks or
grasses. Plains Indians used a spongy bone from the knee joint of the buffalo which held paint just as the modern fountain
pen holds ink. Chiefs and elders often worn different colors to their inferiors.

War Paint and other Non-verbal forms of Communication

The meanings of war paint was just one of the forms of non-verbal communication methods used by Native American
Indians. The different types of non-verbal communication methods were:

Smoke Signals

Fire signals that were used at night

Horse War Paint

Native American Sign Language

Mirrors - messages could be sent over long distances using sunlight to direct the flashes

Piles of stones could be used to convey messages

Picture messages on trees, skins, rocks using Native American Symbols

Native American Culture - War
Paint

War Paint - Native Americans for kids

Culture and History of Native Indians

Interesting facts and info about War

Paint for kids and schools

Information about War Paint and

Native American Indians

Native American Culture - War Paint

for kids

War Paint - Pictures and Videos of Native Americans

War Paint. Discover the vast selection of pictures which relate to the History and Culture of Native Americans. The pictures
show the clothing, War Paint, weapons and decorations of various Native Indian tribes that can be used as a really useful
educational history resource for kids and children of all ages. We have included pictures and videos to accompany the
main topic of this section - War Paint. The videos enable fast access to the images, paintings and pictures together with
information and many historical facts. All of the articles and pages can be accessed via the Native Indian Tribes Index - a
great educational resource for kids.
Teaching resource - Teachers - Kids - War Paint - Tribal - Cosmetics - Designs - Face - Body - Pictures - Black - Blue - Warpaint - War Paint - W
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