What did the Ottawa native American look like?

Answer 1

The Ottawas (or Odawa) were very close relatives of the Potawatomi and Ojibwa, living in northeastern Michigan and on islands in Lake Huron.

Their appearance changed over time but warriors often wore their hair in a scalp-lock, shaving all but a round patch of hair on the crown of the head with a long, decorated braid hanging from it. Feathers and dyed deer hair were used to decorate this scalp-lock which acted as a kind of invitation to enemies to "come and take it". Another style had a strip of hair from front to rear, the front grown long and the rear much shorter. Some men wore all their hair long and woven in two or four braids, or wore it all long and loose.

Women parted their hair in the centre and wore it pulled back into one thick braid, wrapped with fur or snakeskin. For special occasions the parting was painted red or yellow (a common custom among most native American tribes).

The general dress for all males was a tanned leather breech-clout, a robe and moccasins, with leggings added only occasionally. Women anciently wore only a wrap-around skirt of buckskin, with a poncho-like cape added in cold weather. By the time of first contact they wore strap-and-sleeve dresses, knee-length leggings and an underskirt of nettle fibres. Moccasins were of deer or moose hide, made in one piece and soft-soled, with a single seam running from toe to instep.

Later much use was made of traded blankets and cloth, along with silver ornaments and glass beads.

Jewellery was made of shell, bone, native copper, animal teeth and claws. Gorgets (large pendants) of polished slate were worn by some men and many warriors wore nose rings of stone or shell.

Tattoos and body painting were common among the men, with red, brown, green and black being the favoured colours.

The links below take you to images of Ottawas: