Bow Making | Thrive: Traditions S2 • E11

The knowledge of the bow is ancient, just like the Chickasaw people. I believe the two are one. The Chickasaws were masters of their environment. It literally is what defeated De Soto, was the Chickasaw bow in the hands of a Chickasaw warrior. My name is Elihu Johnson and I am a Chickasaw bowmaker. The same way a sculptor looks at the raw piece of marble and he sees the sculpture hiding within, likewise when I see a tree, I see the bow hidden within the tree. Truth be told, any tree that makes a fruit or a nut will make a bow, but in my opinion, bow dart is one of the best, that and black locust, just because it's virtually rot resistant. It's got the perfect amount of strength and flexibility in it, so it makes a very fine bow. One of the hardest things about working bow dart is these pieces I have here to show you are really rare. This is probably the finest piece of bow dart I've ever laid my hands on in almost 30 years of bow making. Bow dart tends to grow crooked and knotty and just really hard to work with, but this piece right here was a dream. I've had an elder tell me that if your heart's not in the right place, when you're out looking for these trees, they'll actually hide from you. I was really excited. I felt my ancestors presence, actually, when I saw this tree. I respect, definitely respect the tree. I know that this tree, again, didn't hide from me. Obviously, my heart must be in the right place. The utmost respect from cutting this tree down because I'm harvesting a living thing. That's what's unique about these bows here compared to modern archery. This actually came from a living thing, this bow right here, and when it's in my hands, it's alive again. I feel it's got a spirit to it. I really do, and that's why I honor and respect it. I believe that there's a spirit in that wood. It's almost a religious experience for me when I'm doing this. I believe that I do have a burden, not in a negative way, but I feel that I must pass this on. I realize that the same methods I'm using, my ancestors used thousands of years ago. The same way I'm working this wood is the same way they would have. I do actually feel a kinship with my forefathers when I do this, a connection to my ancestors. All these materials on this table, most of all these things here, I've literally hunted to get these natural materials. I've hunted the tree. I've talked the turkey out of his feathers for my arrows. I've hunted the deer for his meat, tendons, bones, hide, utilized that. Literally everything here, I have to hunt. I mean, you just can't run to Walmart and get this stuff. You had to have intimate knowledge like the Chickasaws did of their environment. They knew where to look, how to look, what time of the year to go. You know, I'm just now uncovering, I believe that we're literally coming out of the dark ages of archery. I believe a lot of it's been lost, and I believe it's my responsibility to rediscover it. That passion, I was born with it. It comes from within. It's something that I can't even articulate with words. It's more of an emotion, a spiritual aspect, but I do believe that I was born with this. I feel that I must pass this on. I can't not pass it on. I see this as a revival of the archery, the bow. I see the interest very much alive, very much in demand right now. It's very encouraging, especially in these days and times, to see people interested in this again and wanting to take it up and learn.