unfinished handmade ~Native Am. Medicine 'Star' Shield~finishing project kit in Boulder, Boulder, Colorado

The Meaning of Medicine Shields

Medicine Shields were sacred objects decorated with symbolic designs that reflected the personal vision and "medicine" or spirit-guided inherent power of Native American warriors. The medicine shields had specific spiritual meaning to each warrior and were created following the rite of passage called a Vision Quest. A Vision Quest was undertaken to seek and identify a Power Animal to help them as a spiritual guide to walk through different stages of life for the purpose of teaching and guiding them, and in some instances protecting them. Medicine shields were typically made out of animal skin that was stretched over a wooden hoop. Pictures, emblems and symbols would be then painted on the Medicine shields. As the young warrior grew in stature additional objects reflecting his prowess as a warrior were added to the Medicine shield such as feathers and scalps. Basically a Medicine Shield is going to depict the Totems, Medicine, and personal abilities of an individual. The depictions symbolically describing that to anyone who sees the Shield itself. There are Shields constructed for different purposes (such as protection, healing, etc.) as well and their depictions would focus on the work they do.

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Back in 2008 I started to make this Medicine Shield. I saw one somewhere that had the wicker back like this one and I decided to try and make one myself. I have always made my Shields with leather or hides. I personally prefer the natural backing over the wicker. I think the wicker looks a bit too 'foo foo'. But that's me. I did however have a lot of detailed plans for this Star Shield - Complete with 34-40 dangling leather pieces beaded, feathered, tapered from the center with animal tails hanging from the bottom on every 5th dangler. The shield was going to hang from a horizontal deer antler, with beaded and feathered leather danglers. I considered hanging medicine strands from each point of the star. Medicine strands are leather strands with some kind significant (uncommon) animal part ie; elk tooth, rabbit tail, raccoon paw, that is my totem (in this case since I was going to sell it, I would have used animals and symbols conducive to Star people or that are connected to that realm and or culture!) Or - I was also thinking about hanging removeable medicine bags from each point. Each one a differnt color representing something different according to ones needs.
I only got about 25% done. Over the years most of the danglies came off (some of them were temporarily tied on) and all of the feathers deteriorated. I ended up using most of the original pieces in other ceremonial tools or to gift out. In circumstances such as this where I won't be finishing my own project and selling it, I wouldn't include the things that I chose anyways, simply because a Medicine Shield should be made exclusively from the maker and the makers own visions. It wouldn't make sense for someone else to put the time, love and labor into their own wheel with some elses medicine! It might as well stay with me for me to finish if that were the case! Make sense? The only thing that is complete is the 'Star'.


Starting cost of materials - $48.00
Unused supplies (approx) - $32.00 - (depreciated) to $20-23.00
Labor - (approx) 7 hours - $50.00
Calculated cost of items included in this package (approx) - $55.00
Labor creating this package - 3 1/2 hours - $19.25 (@ $5.50 hr)
Total - $185.25
Reduced Sale price to buyer of this package-kit - $60.00 (amount marked down - $125.00)
Original completion projected intended sale price - $232.00 - yr-2008






Complete list of items/supplies in this package-kit

One partially handmade -18" Leather Star - Medicine Shield w/ approx 12-20" leather danglers
Assorted Feathers
2 White - Genuine Artic Fox Tail pieces
Bag of assorted Leather
Wooden Heart
3 small unique pieces of drift wood
small bag of plastic Peacock beads
5 small - clear Glue Sticks

Contents in each small baggie;

Gold and Silver Stars
Genuine Buffalo Teeth
Brown and Cream wax string
Assorted wires
Long - Oblong Stone beads
Short - Oblong Stone beads
Small wood beads
Gold Loop rings
Silver Thunderbird loop through piece - Shells - Attachment pieces
Turquoise Beads - Assorted long beads
Lg. Solid Brass Feather beads/danglers
Genuine Buffalo Bone beads
Assorted Crystals
Assorted colors - small plastic beads
Assorted wood beads - Specialty designer beads
Small Black beads - Silver drum beads
Genuine Canine Teeth
Assorted unpolished Crystal gem beads
Misc. tile - mirror - flat decor bead - etc on string w/Blue Stone Star
Long wood beads
A Sea Shell