James Blake Historian and Artist

06/05/2026

In this photograph, I'm examining examples of Eastern Woodlands blowgun and dart technology associated with the collections and research of the late anthropologist Frank Speck, whose work documented Indigenous technologies among numerous Native communities throughout eastern North America.

Most people associate blowguns with the Southeast, and for good reason. The Cherokee, Catawba, Choctaw, Creek, and other Southern tribes used them extensively for hunting birds, squirrels, rabbits, and other small game. One of the best eighteenth-century descriptions comes from French officer Jean-Bernard Bossu, who observed of the Choctaw:

“They are very expert in shooting with an instrument made of reeds about 7 ft. long, into which they put a little arrow feathered with the wool of the thistle.”

This brief account provides an excellent description of both the blowgun itself and the use of thistle down on the dart.

Less well known is that blowgun technology extended far beyond the Southeast. Historical and ethnographic sources document its use among the Shawnee, Miami, and several Iroquoian-speaking peoples. Former Shawnee captive Oliver M. Spencer recalled Native boys carrying and using blowguns to hunt birds, providing a firsthand account of the technology in the Ohio Valley. Accounts of traditional Iroquois life likewise describe boys learning to stalk birds and small game with blowguns from an early age, developing the skills necessary to become successful hunters.

Far more than a simple tube-and-dart, blowgun technology required extensive knowledge of local materials. River cane, wood, thistle down, feathers, plant fibers, and hardwood dart shafts all had to be carefully selected and processed. Every component had a purpose, and success depended upon understanding both the landscape and the properties of the materials themselves.

Over the next several weeks, I'll be sharing information on Eastern Woodlands blowgun technology, historical accounts, dart construction, material processing, and the methods I use to reproduce many of these traditional items. I'll also be demonstrating how some of these materials are gathered, prepared, and transformed into functional hunting equipment using traditional methods.

If you enjoy this type of content, please like, follow, and share. If you're interested in learning how to make blowguns, darts, quivers, or process the associated materials, feel free to reach out. Classes, workshops, demonstrations, and consulting opportunities are available.

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

Most people associate blowguns with the American Southeast, but historical accounts show they were also known among the Shawnee, Miami, and Iroquian- speaking peoples. Over the course the next couple weeks I'll be sharing historical accounts, museum examples,material processing and the methods user to reproduce Eastern Woodland blowgun technology.
Leave a comment, follow the page for more historical content, and send me a message if you're interested in classes, workshops, demonstrations, or custom educational programs.

06/05/2026

Hidden away in Philadelphia is a remarkable collection of Native American objects with stories to tell. Many of these pieces likely entered the collection through the networks of Reuben Haines III, a naturalist connected to explorers, traders, and scientists across North America in the early 1800s.
Collections like these offer a rare glimpse into the movement of people, objects, and ideas across the early American landscape. The deeper you look, the more the stories unfold.
Follow and Like for more discoveries.

06/04/2026

The older I get, the less interested I become in applause.

A man who spends his life waiting for permission will die holding an empty ticket.

Supreme confidence isn't arrogance. It's an unwavering belief in yourself when nobody else believes. It's understanding that everyone has an opinion, everyone has advice, everyone has a critique, and very few have your responsibilities, your experiences, or your vision.
At some point, I realized my own validation was enough. I go where I choose to go. I work with whom I choose to work with. I say what I choose to say. Some people spend their lives trying to make everyone happy. I decided I'd rather be honest with myself.

I've also become a firm believer in self-promotion. No one knows your journey like you do. No one knows the sacrifices, the miles traveled, the hours invested, the failures endured, or the victories earned. Even with the best intentions, no one can tell your story quite like you can.

A strange thing happens when you stop seeking approval. The fog begins to lift. You start noticing energies, intentions, and undertones that once escaped your attention. Reciprocity becomes important. Mutual respect becomes important. The company you keep becomes important.

There are doors I've never walked through, opportunities I've declined, and tables I've willingly left because something felt off. A man should know his principles well enough to recognize when the cost of admission is too high.

An old parable tells of a wolf crossing a frozen river. Behind him walked foxes, crows, and smaller creatures. They followed his tracks across the ice but never walked beside him. When the ice cracked beneath their feet, they blamed the wolf for choosing the crossing. Yet none dared to lead.

The wolf never argued. He simply kept walking.

Some travel beside you. Some travel behind you. Some only watch from the treeline. Some carry whispers from one campfire to another, never adding wood of their own.

Discernment is learning the difference.
The lesson is to know who is actually walking with you.

06/03/2026

After years of handling original artifacts, digging through archives, studying museum collections, and following the evidence wherever it led, I'm pleased to share that my latest article has been published in Commonplace.

"Pasted Indians: John Fanning Watson, Scrapbook Culture, and the Construction of a Lenape Image"

This article grew from countless hours spent examining original objects, photographs, manuscripts, artwork, and archival material. Much of the research was conducted firsthand in museum collections and research institutions, allowing me to study the evidence directly rather than relying solely on secondary sources.

The story explores how images of Native people were collected, reproduced, altered, and reinterpreted over time and how those images continue to shape our understanding of the past today.

Having an article appear in *Commonplace* is an honor. It is one of the most respected venues for public scholarship on early American history, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the conversation.

Research begins with questions, but the answers are often found in archives, museum drawers, old scrapbooks, and the objects themselves.

I hope you'll give it a read. You can read it here..
https://commonplace.online/article/pasted-indians/

Rather than preserving a direct record of Native life, the page reveals the processes by which early American antiquarians assembled and interpreted the past.

06/03/2026

Traditional rattles made from materials the earth provides. Check out the different tones they make.

06/03/2026

Teaching Traditional Fiber Weaving at the Great Lakes Traditional Arts Gathering
One of my favorite parts of teaching is watching people discover that a simple plant fiber can be transformed into something useful, strong, and beautiful. In this photo, we're working through the basics of traditional weaving and cordage techniques that Indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes and Eastern Woodlands used for generations.
These skills aren't just crafts they're technologies developed over thousands of years. From basswood fiber bags and fishing nets to tumplines and carrying straps, plant fibers played a vital role in daily life.

06/02/2026

What your looking at isn't just a bag.
This is a Pottawattomie basswood fiber corn hulling bag in the collections of the Penn Museum. These bags were used in the processing of corn, one of the most important foods in Native North America.
By examining original artifacts like this firsthand, we can learn about Indigenous technology, materials and lifeways that often go unnoticed.
Research, documentation, workshops, and artifact interpretation are a large part of what I do. If your museum, historical society, or organization is interested in working together fell free to reach out.

06/02/2026

The ivory-billed woodpecker was once one of the most striking birds in the eastern forests, and surviving references to its use in American Indian material culture are prevalent
Handmade, this piece would look good at home in a study, office, museum room, or collection focused on Native American history. It could become a part of your cabinet of curiosities.

Includes all 4 and the case.

$225 plus shipping
Message me if interested.