How do the plain Indians put belts on?

Answer 1

That's a very strange question and I guess you mean past tense: "How did . . .?"

Native belts did not come with buckles and loops. They were either a thin leather thong (strip) which tied in a knot and supported the breechclout and leggings, or wider, elaborately decorated belts worn around a dress or to carry a knife sheath - again with thin leather ties attached.

Wide belts were often elaborately beaded with the favourite colours and designs used by the particular tribe; among the Crows, traders supplied the women with ready-made broad, thick, commercial leather belts which the women embellished with seed beads (the small variety of glass trade beads). Surviving examples are 44.5 inches long, 2.75 inches wide and over one-eighth of an inch thick. Beadwork was applied in 9 panels, with light blue or lavender used for backgrounds - white backgrounds were favoured by the Teton Sioux tribes.