Counting Coup detail.
Counting Coup
Welded Steel Sculpture
Welded Steel Sculpture
From Wikipedia:
Counting coup refers to the winning of prestige in battle by the Plains Indians of North America. Warriors won prestige by acts of bravery in the face of the enemy, and these acts could be recorded in various ways and retold as stories. Any blow struck against the enemy counted as a coup, but the most prestigious acts included touching an enemy warrior, with the hand or with a coup stick, then escaping unharmed. Counting coup could also involve stealing from the enemy. Risk of injury or death was required to count coup. Coups were recorded by notches in the coup stick, or by feathers in the headdress of a warrior who was rewarded with them for an act of bravery.
There are even stories from WWI where the German soldiers were terrified of the American Indian soldiers, because the Indian soldiers would sneak into the German camps at night and Count Coup by waking up the German soldiers and then sneaking back into the night. Counting coup was only recognized if your enemy was aware that you were touching him and then you escaped unharmed.
The inspiration for this piece was that I found the middle piece with the cutout shapes at a steelyard. It immediately reminded me of hoof prints from a horse and then I envisioned a rider and the rest of the piece from there.
This piece was created in 03, and during that time I was intrigued by the personal nature of war by cultures without guns. Your honor and personal power is based on your acts. You are what you survive. Which is a significant difference from todays society, where you are what you buy.
The piece was arc welded with construction grade steel, and a salvaged cast iron wagon wheel. It stands over 10 feet tall and about 6 feet wide.
I currently am in possession of this piece, however I would be willing to donate it to a nonprofit organization that serves American Indians in some capacity.
Counting coup refers to the winning of prestige in battle by the Plains Indians of North America. Warriors won prestige by acts of bravery in the face of the enemy, and these acts could be recorded in various ways and retold as stories. Any blow struck against the enemy counted as a coup, but the most prestigious acts included touching an enemy warrior, with the hand or with a coup stick, then escaping unharmed. Counting coup could also involve stealing from the enemy. Risk of injury or death was required to count coup. Coups were recorded by notches in the coup stick, or by feathers in the headdress of a warrior who was rewarded with them for an act of bravery.
There are even stories from WWI where the German soldiers were terrified of the American Indian soldiers, because the Indian soldiers would sneak into the German camps at night and Count Coup by waking up the German soldiers and then sneaking back into the night. Counting coup was only recognized if your enemy was aware that you were touching him and then you escaped unharmed.
The inspiration for this piece was that I found the middle piece with the cutout shapes at a steelyard. It immediately reminded me of hoof prints from a horse and then I envisioned a rider and the rest of the piece from there.
This piece was created in 03, and during that time I was intrigued by the personal nature of war by cultures without guns. Your honor and personal power is based on your acts. You are what you survive. Which is a significant difference from todays society, where you are what you buy.
The piece was arc welded with construction grade steel, and a salvaged cast iron wagon wheel. It stands over 10 feet tall and about 6 feet wide.
I currently am in possession of this piece, however I would be willing to donate it to a nonprofit organization that serves American Indians in some capacity.
