Talking Stick Made of Elk Leg and Buffalo Jaw

A while back, I wrote about the history behind the Native American Talking Stick (https://vaheark.blogspot.com/2018/02/variations-on-talking-stick.html). It is a short stick made with various wood, bone, feather and skin materials and it is used by the wise leader of a tribe during tribal debates. Only when someone is handed the Talking Stick that one is allowed to speak.

I was fascinated by the concept given how many societies today have forgotten the basic civility that used to govern us.

Of course I was also very attracted by the designs I have seen of Talking Sticks, and came out with my own as a first experiment (link above for photos).

… It is Elk hunting season and when I take my beloved walks in the forests of Northern Arizona, I encounter elk and deer that have been recently field dressed by hunters.  Of course they take the meat but what they leave behind I share with the eagles, coyotes, and other nocturnal carnivores!

So, a month or so ago I came across the carcass of an elk. I took the skull and used it for a rather unique wall piece work (https://vaheark.blogspot.com/2018/11/vanitas-veritas-and-use-of-skulls-to.html).

I also took one front leg and decided to use it as the handle for a new Talking Stick pairing the leg with a buffalo’s lower jaw.

Ok, here is the leg cleaned and preserved enough to start my project:

I painted the hoofs with shoe polish as the contrast can be seen in this photo of the inside of the hoof:

The materials I wanted to use with the elk leg and the buffalo jaw were: an Arizona native squirrel pelt, deer skin, Arizona Turquoise stones, and the snout of a hare!

I wrapped the squirrel pelt around the bare bone of the leg and covered both ends with deer skin.

I gave the deer skin some “class” by adding turquoise stones…

Finally added the hare snout at the tip of the jaw:

Here is how the new Talking Stick looks:

But I wanted to hang it on the wall since at night, the 60 Watt light above it projects a delightful shadow on the wall – that of a nocturnal animal out for food!

After all, the hare snout and the squirrel tail made this Talking Stick unique when a ceiling light creates that shadow.

December 9, 2018

© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2018