Danny Beaver is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) nation and Bird clan. He lives with his wife Linda and three kids, Peyton, Kasi, and Emily in Beggs, OK. He is also a Northern Traditional dancer and also makes men’s pow wow regalia. Mr. Beaver uses traditional southeastern designs from the Mississippian Period, also known as the Mound Period, as inspiration for his art. They tell stories and represent ceremonial periods of Muskogean history.
Mr. Beaver became in gunstock war clubs and saw a need to preserve his Nation’s history. The designs and motifs also come from the same need to preserve the Creek nation culture. The gunstock club or gunstock war club is a traditional native weapon used by many native people of this country, named for its similar appearance to the wooden stocks of muskets and rifles of the time. Gunstock clubs were most predominantly used by the Muscogees, Central, and Northern Plains tribes in the 18th and 19th centuries. The last time Muscogees used this weapon was at The Battle of Horseshoe Bend, March 27, 1814, when the United States forces and Indian allies under Major General Andrew Jackson defeated the Red Sticks, a part of the Creek Indian tribe who opposed American expansion.
Mr. Beaver hand-cuts the wood for gunstock war clubs, burning and staining the wood to achieve a unique color. Each design is then meticulously carved, cut, and burned into the piece. Each blade is also hand-cuts from flat steel. Not only his artwork has been represented in woodworking, but also in shell craving and regalia design. His art has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute of Native American History Museum in Washington D.C. and in many prestigious museums across the country. Several unique pieces have been on display at the Chickasaw Visitor Center. Mr. Beaver has also won first place in the Weaponry category at the 2019 Chicksaw Nation Artesian Arts Festival. Being a traditional Southern artist has helped his family and communities keep their traditional art alive. He feels by doing this artwork will help the future of the Muscogee nations youth and communities.
