SCLT Discovery Session Part 2: Cheyenne Native Tools

This is part two of the coverage of the recent program on Native Plants and Tools, presented by SCLT. There was some confusion, as some readers thought there would be a second program hosted by SCLT. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Linwood Tall Bull and his son, Randall, of the Cheyenne tribe, shared their knowledge of native plants and traditional tools during Tuesday night’s Sheridan Community Land Trust’s Discovery Session.

Linwood began his presentation by talking about how the Cheyenne people look at plants, and a little history of the Cheyenne tribe. His story was told Thursday on Sheridan Media.

Alison Dooley, president of the Big Horn Native plants society, introduced Randall and his presentation.

Randall talked of his passion for making traditional tools. “That is one of my all-time favorites,” he said.

He added that before the time of metal tools they used bone and stone tools for cutting wood, butchering meat and digging up plants. He talked about the fact that the Cheyenne were a nomadic tribe that followed the buffalo.

He talked about how important the buffalo was to the Cheyenne.

Included in his display was a buffalo robe, stone and bone knives. He held up a stone hatchet, asking if anyone had cut down a tree with a stone hatchet. He said it would take a long time.

The tools were used to teach lessons to the younger generation as well.

He added that they used the buffalo horn to carry fire as the tribe moved from place to place.

The buffalo horn was also used to make various tools and utensils.

Sinew, which is very strong and used for sewing hides together for clothes and tepees, bow strings, and attaching arrowheads, knife blades and hatchet heads to shafts.

Attendees were welcome to come and ask questions and touch the items on display. Linwood brought several food items that the crowd could try as well, giving them a real taste of Cheyenne culture.