Riverside in Wichita in Sedgwick County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Warriors
Their Natural Weapons
— Plains Indians Life, Beliefs and Practices —
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
1. Warriors Marker
The bow and arrow was the most natural weapon for the Plains Indian, the tool best suited for hunting buffalo. It was the first plaything given to him as a child. He began to practice before he was even 4 years old. At the age of 8 to 10, he would begin to use his developing skills to assist in the hunts.
Each warrior would craft his own bow. It was made from strong Osage orange wood, with the string made from buffalo sinew. Arrows were fashioned from dogwood, with hawk or eagle feathers. Arrowheads were usually flint or bone, with the size of the arrowhead dependent on what animal was being hunted.
Warriors developed commendable skills with the hunting and war lance, knife, hatchet and club. Hunting lances were undecorated and much thicker and longer than war lances. It was said that the shorter the war lance, the greater the courage of the warrior who carried it.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Churches & Religion • Native Americans.
Location. 37° 41.486′ N, 97° 21.004′ W. Marker is in Wichita, Kansas, in Sedgwick County. It is in Riverside. The marker is on the Keeper of the Plains plaza, at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers, about
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ceremony (here, next to this marker); Women (here, next to this marker); Stories (here, next to this marker); Buffalo (here, next to this marker); Keeper of the Plains (here, next to this marker); Tribes (a few steps from this marker); Dream Animals (a few steps from this marker); Tipis (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wichita.
Also see . . .
1. Native American Tools and Weapons. Classroom website entry (Submitted on June 26, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Mid-America All-Indian Museum. Museum website homepage (Submitted on June 26, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Keeper of the Plains Plaza. Wichita 360 website entry (Submitted on June 26, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr.
2. Keeper of the Plains Plaza Markers
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 26, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 386 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 26, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 2. submitted on June 25, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
