Cheyenne Drum Painter (small) #16/30

ARTWORK DESCRIPTION

This simple act of painting a drum could easily be described as a subtle, nondescript act. It was in a myriad of simple acts that the Great Plains Indians lived. Their medicine, power, and connection to The Great Spirit was seen to live in a host of objects. One of these was the drum.

Did you know that most Indians would not purposely go to war, make council, get married, hunt, perform healings or paint their drums until ceremonies surrounding each event were complete? To do otherwise was considered bad medicine. It is recorded history that Roman Nose, the great Cheyenne warrior, knew he was going to his death (and voiced it) because he was headed into battle without properly cleansing himself prior to battle. His utterance was prophetic.

I ask myself, How often do I proceed into a venture, trip, relationship, meal, daily living, without having first prepared myself mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, to fly by the seat of my pants, to wing it and ending up with the same ol same ol? Too often I must admit.

What would life be like, to be at peace, to live with a knowing that all is well, for I AM WHOLE to proceed.

-Scott Rogers