English

porcupine

Arapaho

hóó

hóoníno' = 'porcupine quill'

Technical Information

Erethizon dorsatum

 

Porcupines and the Arapaho

Porcupine quills were the most important and sacred item used for decorating clothes, blankets, tepee decorations, and similar items, especially before the arrival of trade beads. The Arapaho Quillwork Society was a sacred society of seven older women, each of whom had a sacred quillworking bag. The quillwork designs were closely linked to sacred and mythological motifs, and complex ritual knowledge was required in order to properly use these designs and undertake the production of quilled items. The designs were traditional, and controlled by the members of the Society, on behalf of the entire Tribe. One could not simply do quillwork on one’s own, or invent new designs. The last of these women died prior to World War II, and quillwork is no longer done by the Arapaho. A few years ago, a Sioux woman offered to reteach the techniques to Arapaho women, but the elders decided that undertaking the work would be too dangerous, since the Arapaho have lost the sacred ritual knowledge that needs to accompany the work.

When the moon enticed the human woman up to the Heavens in mythological times, he did so by taking the form of a porcupine. This is the widely known story of “The Porcupine and the Woman who Climbed to the Sky.”

Porcupine quills were kept in special pouches made of animal stomachs and intestines. On a more everyday level, porcupine tails were used as combs. They were also used for ear- piercing (Dorsey, p. 180).