Chapter 2 Proper Attire ------------- Although training with the [tsih] may be done in any comfortable, loose fitting clothes, proper attire goes a long way in establishing a correct spirit and attitude about the [eilehi] (Lowry, 2005, p. 32). Both women and men can wear loincloths. Mojave women and men also wore loincloths (AMERICAN INDIANS OF THE SOUTHWEST, Bertha P. Dutton, 1983, University of New Mexico Press, p. 169) and the classic Western Ndee loincloth was apparently adopted from the Mojave. The costume worn by the men he described as being a gee string (loincloth), moccasins with rawhide soles and buckskin uppers which came as far as the knee, and a headband of buckskin painted red. In cold weather a shirt, or jacket with sleeves, on which they leave the hair, tanning the inside only, is worn. There were two girls dressed only in gee-strings (loincloths) and a boy with no clothes at all. Even though at a cold time of year, this old woman was wearing only a gee string, a sort of small buckskin cape about her shoulders, and a good pair of high moccasins. The man wore buckskin clothing, a gee-string, and moccasins... (THE APACHE DIARIES: A FATHER-SON JOURNEY, Grenville Goodwin and Neil Goodwin, 2000, University of Nebraska Press, pp. 39, 94, 125, and 233). Loincloths are of any solid colour with no designs. They usually extend to ankles in back and to knees in front; similiar to the Mojave. The Mojave womans dress also hung to the ankles in back and to the knees in front. (Dutton, 1983, p. 169). An ankle-length back part makes sitting on hot, sandy desert ground much more comfortable. The Lipan loincloth hung to ankles in front (Britten, 2009, p. 225). The rear flap of the loincloth can be drawn between the legs to the front and tucked into the belt around the waist (that holds up the loincloth) along with the front flap (APACHES MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS: FOUR GENERATIONS OF A FAMILY, Ruth McDonald Boyer and Narcissus Duffy Gayton, 1992, University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, Oklahoma (OK), U.S.A., pp. 34 and 43). The length of a loincloth is determined by adding 6 inches to ones height. So, a loincloth for someone 6 feet (72 inches) tall would be 6 1/2 feet (78 inches) long. The width would be the same as the circumference of the wearers waist. Someone with a 3 foot (36 inches) waist would have a 3 foot wide loincloth. When worn, it is twisted once in the middle length-wise with the twist worn between the persons legs. The shorter flap hangs down over the belt in front for 22 inches. The longer flap hangs down over the belt in back for 27 inches. 1 1/2 inch long belt loops can be added. 4 loops in front and 5 in back (with one of the five in the middle of the others; the two outside loops in front and the two outside loops in back are next to each side edge). This leaves 26 inches between the front set of loops and the back set. Because the loincloth is twisted once between the persons legs when worn, one set of loops (the front, for example) would be on one side of the loincloth and the other set (the back) would be on the other side, when it is laid flat. Figure 1b Loincloth for wearer 6 feet tall linen, silk, hemp, cotton, and other natural vegetable fibres +---------+ | ^ | ^ | | | | |22 inches| | | | | | | v | | x x x x |
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 23:11:29 +0000
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