Close up traditional bustle regalia at the Thunderbird Powwow at the Queens County Farm Museum.
An example of ethnic pride, heritage, celebration, and traditional folk art crafts.
The Native American bustle is a traditional part of a man's regalia worn during a dance exhibition or pow wow and originates from the Plains region of the United States. The men's bustle is typically made of a string of eagle or hawk feathers attached to a backboard. Eagle and hawk feathers are sacred religious objects to Native American people and the possession of eagle and hawk feathers are protected by the eagle feather law.
The traditional bustle or "old-style" bustle, being circular. Fancy dancers generally wear two bustles, one attached to a belt above the buttocks and another attached to a harness on the back.