Having danced in pow wow regalia with 30 pounds of leather on me with additional gear-leather can be suffocating at the worst of times,...allthough just a lion cloth and nothing else would be suitable in these crazy warm days and nights!!!!!

You know it!!!
I had a 'Taarna' costume made for me (Circa animated movie 'Heavy Metal'), for Renn. Faires/Cons, complete with sword, and while that get-up LOOKED amazing (Worth every penny!), during the Novato Renn. Faire days, SUMMER? Even with so much skin exposed, that damned leather got TOUGH TO ENDURE, quickly! I didn't complain though. I watched many others in FULL BODY ARMOR, and various' Bards/Ranger get up spend the entire day, weekend after weekend, so knew 'I' had gotten off lucky!

Whew!
Rivers of sweat flowing allllll day long!!!!!!

It was a labor/hobby of LUV!!!

Obsession?

Derangement?

;-P

Several years ago, I was curious about loincloths, especially how to produce one. I found a video on YouTube showing how to do this, with the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DbwFAErXZM

The loincloth is much more sophisticated than I originally thought. It is more than two cloths supported by a belt-rope.
There is support and containment - as illustrated by this response-comic https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s.....adi_fekkri.png .

I made several loincloths from fabric that stretches in one-direction for width. Length does not need to stretch.

I agree that they are very appropriate for summer temperatures. Too bad it is considered-inappropriate to wear outside for general use.

Ever try wearing an authentic kilt?

;-P

Hi Aniwayas,
I have never worn a kilt.

However, I am aware that there are a variety of styles of kilts. The most casual one I am aware of is called a Utilikilt, which is like wearing cargo-shorts.

*Nodnods*
Oh, indeed!
I bought my Roomie one a few years back! Very handy (Pockets/Pouches), AND it looks pretty good on him, showing-off his hairy legs! (For which I happily give him tons of 'Compliments' over, at every opportunity!)

Loincloths' for the win! Heck yeah!

Well, AS a literal 'Half Breed,' lemme edumacate you/others 'bout a few things 'Tribal,' shall I?
I shall! ;-P
With few exceptions, the primary substance used in Native Peoples' clothing was- Leather. Ever wear leather? The first (Few times), It's nice. LOOKS great, isn't horribly uncomfortable if fitted properly, and heck, you can adorn it in so many ways!
Then 'Age' sets in, along with your body's perspiration/other more icky stuffs, and they didn't have these convenient modern day Dry Cleaning or Maytag washing machines/driers back then! Leather STINKS after a fairly short period of usage, and THEN the chaffing? Ever hand-clean leather? Then keep it properly oiled/pliant? omgs...

But Aniwayas, you silly Wolf, I'm talking 'Loincloths,' not full-body attire! O.k., fine. You get a few extra points for easy wearing (And the random gusts of wind/kneeling body postures certainly illicit looks at your package, too!), but NOT WEARING PANTS, in most settings? Kiss your lower legs/thighs handsome, scratch/scar-free appearance g-bye, 'cause nature and all the various shrubberies/branches/et al, are going to have a field day on YOUR hide.

*ahems*

Summer heat is indeed a royal pain-in-the-tuckus, no doubt 'bout eet, but consider the Middle East alternative: Full body wrapped in (Usually lighter weight/cooler natural fabric (ie cotton or wool, but please never think wearing wool ANYTHING in Summer is a joy) cloth, to protect your skin from the harsh Sun, driving sand, and here's the scientific part that is amazing- By absorbing your body sweat into the cloth, instead of having it evaporate directly/immediately into the air (ie, no clothing), you can actually stay cooler and more comfortable because you're wearing your A.C.. Sounds weird as Hell, but I've tried this, and damned if it doesn't work! Again, you have to be mindful of what you're doing, and where. Like Winter, 'Sweat' can either be your friend, or your enemy, so you have to exert yourself accordingly.

Still, I've a set of white Doe Skin clothing (No, I no longer FIT in it, 'cause I was 18 when I had it made, and that was over four decades ago, so there!), that I've kept meticulously clean/cared for. It'll be passed-on to one of my relatives when it's my time to cross over, as a familial heirloom if nothing else. Back when I wore it, it was very nice indeed (But never wear leather against yer bare skin, for yer boobies/nether regions! Just trust me on this one, an' wear a protective layer (Sports bra/panties) for comfort.).

Now, 'Tarzan' all ya like! 'I' will certainly enjoy the show!

;-P

Check out Hopi and other Southwestern tribal clothing. Lot of woven cotton and even Yucca fiber loincloths, kilts and other garments. Sandals woven from yucca fiber too. Leathers and tanned fur garments used in the winter. Introduction of sheep and goats by the Spanish in the 1600s added wool to what the native weavers were using.
https://artsandculture.google.com/a.....ywFh_oym2zc_gg I'd say he's staying cool while working

*Nods*
Aye. I knew the moment I focused on 'Leather,' that folks would point out other products!
Truly, in the 'Great Southwest/Desert' regions, wearing leather would be TORTURE, imho!

In the warm months yes. Fall and winter different story, depending on elevation. Used to do some reenacting and crafting. Have a set of skins. Trade wool breechcloth is a lot more comfortable than a commercial buckskin one. Japanese friend introduced me to fundoshi. We introduced it to some LE who were making a big deal out of folks soaking nude in a back country hot spring. I'd got word about it and well I looked up the AZ swimsuit law - aka no buttfloss thongs in public. Well Japanese loincloths of certain styles exceed the state guidelines. Drove the cops and nude only hippies crazy - a double victory.

Old cliff village in my county https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/si.....astle_NM02.jpg
Every day is leg day if you lived there. Ancestors of the Hopi lived there and in a lot of other sites in my area. Even have the ruins of a 100 person (est) Pueblo about 15 minute walk from my house near a creek. Steady water supply, game, edible wild plants plus 3 sisters gardening and fire wood available.

I spent many years exploring, hiking and camping throughout the Great Southwest. My focus was precisely on the Native Peoples/Nations, some now gone, a few still existing. This was before our modern day, easy access to the Internet, so I had to rely on stories, books from local libraries, and of course, the people who lived in their various communities.
Traipsing across the land with maps and a compass, it was a Journey of exploration I am damned glad I took!
Same thing with that blanket I mentioned, seeing all these ancient ruins. The people who built them, lived in them, and then,,, left? Imagine what we could learn, if-only we could hear these creations speak?!

I've worked with and spoken with members of the Hopi tribe. They know the ancient sites, part of their oral history. They moved north to their current mesa homes over the centuries. There is an ancient salt mine in the Verde Valley, one the Hopi would walk well over 150 miles to to dig salt for the year. They speak of their villages outside of Flagstaff they had to abandon almost a thousand years ago when Sunset Crater erupted and spread ash and cinders all over the area. They moved to Walnut Canyon, Wupatki and few other sites before Black Mesa, Kikotsmovi, Kayenta and other old but active villages.

That the Hopi survived, and better-yet, retained so much of their Heritage in spite of the malicious genocidal agenda(s)/Tactics used by the govt./military, is a prime example of a People's resilience!
I visited Flagstaff, then traveled further South, the once productive copper mine of San Manuel/Mammoth, and 'Flat top' mountain...

There are still things out there from America's ancient People/Past, and for myself, that is reassuring. Our own lives are so brief, it's nice to see things that remind us of the Long Path we're really treading...

I visited Tao Pueblo and Mesa Verde as kid in the 1970s. Taos is over 1000 years old, still occupied. The people of those Southwest Villages are strong - even tossed out the Spanish in 1680, fed up with abuse and murder. Spanish did come back in 1698, but weren't as nasty as before. One Hopi coworker is a member of one of their Societies. He mentioned they have some old Spanish helmets they use in one ceremony - something they don't let outsiders see. Another coworker was from Acoma - Sky City. Me, I'm a historian who is one heck of a mutt. Mom was Norwegian and Dad, family a mix of everything from the British Isles, Germany, Holland and Senaca - his grandmother was born in 1880 - her mother was Senaca and father was Irish from Ulster.

The Norwegians still love doing outdoor stuff and keeping the land clean and good - never quite got past being Vikings. I love finding out from Native peoples what plants you can eat, what are medicinals, etc.

Absolutely well said!!!

For those who embrace 'NATURE' as a Theology, *EVERYTHING* has its place, its story, its purpose, and it *ALL* has to be respected, honored, cherished...

The warfare I experienced, growing up the only daughter, and placed under Momma's Catholic ideology,,, is heartbreaking beyond words. While 'I', even as a child, was willing and ready to respect another's Path, 'I', especially as a child, was FORBIDDEN mine-own, and that has rankled me to this very day, and soured me towards so much of what the Christian Path is/has to offer.

Tragedy.

What price, clean air? Water? Food?

"Only when the last tree is cut down, the last fish caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money."

Wish I knew who really said that. It should be a Commandment for all of humanity...

Sorry. Went a bit 'Dark' there. Didn't mean to.

:-/

https://www.lifeinnorway.net/allema.....right-to-roam/
Somewhere I have an alternative history map of North America - one where the Vikings mixed with the Native Population. Spanish wouldn't have stood a chance...

While alliances/treaties did exist between most of the Nations, in some fashion, none of them were as large or long-lasting or asefficient as the Iroquois Confederacy. What a shame!!!
Had those Peoples who first met, and SAVED the Pilgrims/Early Colonists choose instead to drive the strangers/invaders back into the sea, I have to wonder what would've happened, after? What incentive did Europe/Spain have for N. America, not knowing about the vast natural resources and land that was present? Sure, Spain/Columbus/The Conquistadors had their merry way(s) with anyone unfortunate enough to meet them, but they only made it so far into Mexico/N. America before being brought to a halt (Those lengthening supply lines are no invaders' ally, after all).
Still, the simple truth of it is this- The Native People(s) did NOT pursue science and technology like the 'White Man' did. There was no way to win that kind of lopsided war, once it began.
Much as I and everyone I know resent what happened, the WAY it happened (Every Treaty made, and how the Cherokee People, who were the ONLY Nation to embrace, adopt, and institute the very same concepts as the 'White Man' (ie, WRITING, and the Governance/Laws of the People), only to be stabbed in the back by the American Govt./Jackson, harbors strong feelings to this very day. For instance, I and no one I knew/know, will ever carry a $20.00 bill, because it has Jackson's portrait on it. I/We would rather wipe our asses with that coloured paper, but don't, because paper money is the SUCK at such hygienic applications).
I digress...
Alternate universes/stories are such FUN, aren't they?! I remember reading about how 'What if' a modern army/unit were transported back in time, how they/their tools might have altered history (And that famous movie about the aircraft carrier doing just that, on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack, is a prime example)?

Fun stuff to consider!

Read Robert Silverberg's novel The Gate of Worlds. Setting bid in an alternate 1980s Mexico and North America. Europe had been dominated by the Turks for centuries and the Aztecs are the dominant power in the region. Steam power and early electrical lighting are the high tech. A young English guy is trying to fit into that society.

Great grandma Hannah was half Iroquois. Ran the part of the family like how her mother's people ran things. Wish I could have known her. She got to hold me a couple box times before she passed in late 1964.

https://www.furaffinity.net/view/36602840/ Got to watch this guy dance a few times in Texas. His troop were wonderful. I'd join in when they'd invite folks to do a circle dance. Outdoor intertribal events tended to be in the cooler months there.

You make excellent points,...and wearing full tradish while dancing on sand ......sand gets EVERYWHERE!!!!!!
Oh the red skin conditions that followed in the 40 degree summer sunny days.....ARGHHHHHH!!!!!
lol

Aye!
The welts/abrasions/BLISTERS I got, in various regions, from the chaffing of leather on hot days?

egads

Reasons why Hudson Bay Blankets were turned into garments asap when available. I own 3 vintage HBC Blankets a white 4 point and 2 red 3.5 point ones - all about 100 years old now. Old, well used, soft for wool and damn warm in winter.

It's a true Saying/Sentiment- "They don't make 'em like they used to!"
We've traditional clothing, including linen/blankets, but those are still at 'Home' with my older brothers and their families. Some were brought over from Ireland (Momma), and one very worn, tattered blanket is claimed to have been carried/used by one of the few who survived the 'Trail of Tears,' which saw Papa's family assigned to a Res. in Oklahoma. That one is kept very safe, and given its due homage. If-only such things could talk, I wonder if we'd be strong enough to bear hearing the stories it would share?

That would be one very old blanket and yes, the story behind it would shock many today. Andy Jackson wasn't very civilized to the 5 "Civilized" tribes

It's moments like this I wish I could favorite journals for all the insights and research for my story I'm getting out of these comments. (My setting is tribalistic post-apocalyptic with late Bronze/early Iron Age tech, with some stuff from the before-time being scrounged up and reverse-engineered as good as possible.)

heh heh heh
You and I think VERY MUCH ALIKE, by way of Stories!!!
It doesn't matter what I'm thinking or trying to create, as I already know better than to even THINK about uploading it on this platform (My writing and stories are VERY 'Mature/Adult,' and I take the beautiful/profane very seriously, 'cause that's how LIFE really is. For myself, nothing is 'Off limits,' and many of the things I've written/created would likely put far too many people 'Here' (Esp. the Mods), into cardiac arrest! Tempting as that might be!!)
Been a huge fan of 'Alternate History, Sci-Fi, and Apocalyptic' stuffs for nearly as long as I've been alive. The human/not-so-human Will to survive is a damned strong one after all!

Glad you're enjoying the replies, and that they're helping! 's one'a the reason I DO engage with people like this. I too enjoy the communications, and the sharing of thoughts/perspectives.

Be Well, an' mind those shortening telomere's!

;-P

The chaffing was reaaaaaal!!!!!!

I know the feeling, or better yet, just go naked

For more comfortable in the heat and humidity minimal garment - the Japanese Fundoshi - Ecchu version. South Asian Lungi are nice - hand loomed cotton sarongs.

From a Hopi blogger: https://native-loincloth.tumblr.com.....-in-loincloths
Local Cotton grown and woven by hand from precolumbian times

Lioncloths are not only sexy, they're also practical. I'm honestly surprised no company was ever started with a loincloth design in mind. Especially with different styles you can make.

Sexy, tactical, classic Tarzan, medieval, swimwear, and even modest styles

Well you can buy Japanese fundoshi types from a number of sellers - heck some of them have fabric care tags sewn to the waist cords. From India you can get well made Langot and Kaupina - number of sellers on Etsy have those. Amazing what you can find with a computer and pay for with paypal
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3059705792.....sAAOSwfsJnWrQZ
bought a few of those

Definitely am not going to save this for later...

*proceeds to save the link for later*

I've bought from Xzytes too. Good company based in Singapore. They sell on eBay and Etsy. Good quality and you can order to size. Waist cord length and garment width and length

I'll definitely be taking a look into that ^w^

I'd wager the Native Americans got lots of things right.