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Buffalo were very important to the survival of the northern Plains tribes. This shield projects medicine to assure productive hunts. The focal point is the buffalo face symbol asking the spirit of the buffalo to be along on all hunts. The braided buffalo hair tail and black strips represent an abundance of buffalo. The horse hoof prints and horse hair on the top half of the shield represent sufficient strong horses for the hunts. The black and yellow design around the edge represents the Black Hills of South Dakota, a sacred place where the Great Spirit provides for his people.
Made of rawhide over a willow hoop, a leather strap allows the shield to be flung over the shoulder or around the neck - as often worn by warriors on horseback - and an arm hold permits it to be carried, as in battle or during a dance. Earth paints, trade cloth, turkey feathers, tin cones, brass bells, buffalo hair, horse hair, sinew, and Italian glass beads decorate the shield.
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