Porky Roach Craft Focus - Crazy Crow Trading Post
Porky Roach Craft Focus - Crazy Crow Trading Post

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Porky Roach Craft Focus

Crazy Crow Trading Post ~ March 2012

Credit Above Photo: Smithsonian Institute: Cynthia Frankenburg, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. 2007 National Pow Wow Grass Dancers.

Porky Roach Craft Focus

Crazy Crow Trading Post ~ March 2012

Credit Above Photo: Smithsonian Institute: Cynthia Frankenburg, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. 2007 National Pow Wow Grass Dancers.

The Porcupine Headdress

No other headgear, with the exception of the Plains warbonnet, personifies the North American Indian as much as the hair roach. Historically, its distribution and use covered virtually all tribes of the Plains, Plateau, Great Lakes, and Eastern Woodlands cultural areas.

Paintings by artists in the 1830’s reflected the use of the hair roach at that early date, and contemporary use of the porky roach may be seen in the outfits of the Grass Dancer, Oklahoma Straight Dancer, Oklahoma Feather Dancer, Northern Traditional Dancer, and the Old Time dancer.

Among some Northern tribes, hair roaches were also made using moose hair and among the Missouri River tribes, short roaches made from the beards of the wild turkey were, and still are, quite popular.

Over the years, porky roaches have evolved in several ways. Many modern roaches have a base that is much longer than historic styles which ranged in length from 6″ to around 12″. Today, base lengths as long as 24″ are often used and rather than a solid color of red or white deer hair trim, many roaches feature bright colors such as turquoise, yellow, purple, pink and others. Another modern innovation is the use of “flashes” of color, which are basically stripes of different colors that are tied into the outer and/or inner row of deer hair.

O N L I N E    R E F E R E N C E

Porky Kit Instructions Online – Crazy Crow Trading Post
First and only online instructions for porky roaches. Fully illustrated.

Care and Storage of Your Porky Roach – Crazy Crow Trading Post
Online instructions and tips to help you keep your porky roach in top condition. Fully illustrated.

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Porky Roaches – Related Products (click images to view product detail)

The following items are used in the above-article, or may provide added reference and helpful information.

Porcupine Guard Hair - Crazy Crow Trading Post

Porcupine Guard Hair

This is the long, fine porcupine guard hair used in making porky hair roaches worn by Native American male dancers of many different powwow dance styles. The porky hair is packaged in 4-6″ bundles containing enough varied length hair for a 15″ roach.

Using Imitation Porky Guard Hair Tips - Crazy Crow Trading Post

Deluxe Imitation Porky Hair – 10″

This is the perfect substitute for genuine porcupine guard hair, and it makes tying a roach faster and much less expensive. Identical in color, with a tapered tip and base just like natural hair, so it looks just like the real McCoy.

White & Dyed Deer Tails - Crazy Crow Trading Post

White & Dyed Deer Tails

White & Dyed Deer Tails for Native American hair roaches. You may find other craft ideas for these, but these are primarily used for the inner and outer rows of the porky roach and tassles for gourd rattles & peyote staffs.

The Making Of A Porky Roach DVD - Crazy Crow Trading Post

The Making Of A Porky Roach DVD

An exceptional source for the authentic construction of the porcupine roach. Areas covered: the building of a tying board, sorting of porky hair, preparation of hair, attachment of hair to base, construction of handwoven base, plus the care and storage of the finished roach. Slow motion and instant replay enable the viewer to construct a fine porky roach. 30 minutes.

Roach Stick - Crazy Crow Trading Post

Porky Roach Care: Roach Sticks

Available in 2 lengths, this roach stick is invaluable when it comes to preserving the look of your prize roach.
Comes with free roach care & storage instructions.

Porky Roach Care: Elastic Bandages - 3

Porky Roach Care: Elastic Bandages

3″ x 60″ elastic bandages are the very best material for wrapping and storing your porcupine hair roach. In order to make wrapping easier, always roll the bandage “up” before beginning.