Blackfoot Ceremonial Headdress

This is a Blackfoot Indian of the 1830s. He is wearing a ceremonial stand-up bonnet which is worn by senior tribesmen at warrior society meetings and victory fetes. In later years, it was also worn for the ceremony of the Sun Dance. It denotes a war party leader. The pipe he is holding is a wolf-hide sleeve. This warrior has the status of being a pipe carrier which is an honor.