Alan Monroe, Lakota
Horse Spirit Dance Rattle
HK Item #RT957

Alan Monroe, Lakota

Alan Monroe creates his Northern Plains artwork from hides, stone, leather, and wood. He learned the basics of quill working, weaponry, sculpting and pipe making from traditional and contemporary artisans in his family circle. He is a fifth generation pipe maker and considered by many to be a master pipe maker. In his sculptures, Monroe works with a variety of materials such as pipestone, bone, wood and alabaster. He creates small objects like fetishes to large pieces than can weigh hundreds of pounds. Al Monroe's work can be seen in many galleries and museums across the country and he has won many awards. Al Monroe was born in Hot Springs , South Dakota and is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He graduated from Hot Springs High School and studied business and art in Nebraska, Tennessee, and South Dakota. About Lakota Sioux

RATTLES - Native American rattles have been and are used for many purposes including healing and other medicine uses, dancing for ceremony and celebration, commemorating birth and more. To First Nations people, shakers or rattles represent rain (for prayers of abundance and prosperity) and tears, especially those of emotional release. Tears of joy signifying when the mind, body, soul and spirit connect. Ceremonially, rattles are used in cleansing and purifying, spiritual guidance work, celebration and in thanks and respect to Ancestral Spirits.

Rattles can be made of many materials including deer and elk hooves, rawhide, turtle shells, gourds, wood, buffalo parts (horn, hump bone, scrotum) bones, horns and antlers of all kinds, leather (cowhide, buckskin, elkskin).

The rattling items are either inside or outside. Rattles such as gourds might have small items inside such as beans, corn, small stones, or even the seeds native to the gourd itself. Rattles with external sound makers are adorned with pieces of metal, tinkle cones, bells, beads and more.

Generally, medicine rattles are made entirely of natural materials and the sound is more muted. Dance rattles are made of almost any materials, natural and otherwise. In fact, unusual items such as pieces of scrap metal, coins and other resonating materials are used to create a loud, crisp sound. Dance rattles are often made like a coup stick, using bone or wood with a handle on the end.

HORSE - horse spirit inspires our dreams, awakens passion, carries us far and fast, and brings us close to our instinctual and authentic nature. Horse enables us to move beyond our limitations and run freely. Spirit or Medicine Horses were and are extremely helpful in guidance, healing, protection and ceremony. Horse represents wisdom, physical power and unearthly power. Horse enables healers to travel in Spirit energy, using Horse to help guide them to the answer. Horses are symbols that can express our magical side. Horses are also known as symbols of freedom and independence.

The Hand

In Native American art, the hand usually represents the presence of man. From the earliest hand imprints on cave walls, the hand depicts a man's work, achievements and his personal history.

When a hand had a swirl in the middle of it, that is said to be the "eye in hand" and represents a mystic, or all-seeing, hand, the presence of the Great Spirit in man.

In contemorary context, the red hand Is the symbol for MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls), a community-based grassroots movement raising awareness and addressing the lack of response when a Native women or girl goes missing or is murdered. Click here to learn more.

Read more about hand symbolism here.

About Beads

Beads used by Native American artists are usually round, called seed beads, but can be flattened (rondelle) or cylindrical. They are usually made of glass, sometimes plastic, and come in a variety of colors. Most are one solid color except for European Trade Beads, which are mulit-colored and sometimes decorated. Most contemporary high-quality glass seed beads are made in the Czech Republic, Japan or India.

Czech beads are measured by the "aught" system using fraction-like numbers designating how many beads fit side by side on a one inch line. 4/0 means four beads to an inch, each bead being 1/4" wide. 6/0 = 1/6" wide. The smaller the beads, the more beads to an inch, and the larger the number.

The smallest seed beads are 24/0. These are used mainly for beaded items and embroidery.
Pony Beads are 6/0 to 5/0.
Trade Beads are 4/0 to 3/0
Crow Beads are the largest, 2/0 to 1/0.