master of the arrows

master of the arrows

... a day with the Cherokee Nation

A popular practice for the whole family is arrowhead making. To make an arrowhead, the craftsman will first take a large river-stone and use it to break a smaller piece of flint from a large one. Using a small river-stone, he will give the arrowhead its general shape. Then, by applying pressure to the edges of the arrowhead with a deer's antler, he gives the arrowhead its sharpness and more permanent shape.

The Cherokee people used two different types of arrowheads. The first type is the round-shouldered arrowhead. This deadly hunting weapon was attached to the shaft by using the fibers of the Indian hemp plant. When shot into the animal's body, the arrowhead could be easily withdrawn and reused. Alternately, the square or high-shouldered arrowhead was used in warfare and was attached to the shaft by using animal sinew. When shot into the human body, the sinew would expand upon mixing with the blood. This caused the arrowhead to either be left in, cut out, or pushed on through the body.

The shaft for the arrows were made from mountain cane. This type of cane is similar to river cane with which the Cherokee make their baskets, except that it grows much smaller and in higher elevations. Wild turkey feathers adorned the tail of the arrowheads. These feathers were tied to the shaft by using thread made from Indian hemp fibers.

Today, the arrowheads at the Oconaluftee Indian Village are made from flint found in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee that once belonged to the Cherokee people.

Oconaluftee Indian Village, 2010

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