The following information is from an article in the Spring 2000 newsletter of the Coracle Society and written by its President Sir Peter Badge. Its inclusion here is with his kind permission.

Native American Bull boats have fascinated me for a number of years for two main reasons. Firstly, because I believe they closely resemble early Coracles and secondly, as their existence, it is argued, supports the theory that the Mandan Indians from the Missouri area of North Dakota are, at least in part, descended from Prince Madog of North Wales and his fellow voyagers who are said to have landed in North America before Columbus.

It was this fascination which took me last autumn to North Dakota where I received kindness and courtesy and abundant information from the staff of the North Dakota heritage Centre in Bismarck and the Three Tribes Museum on the Fort Berthold Reservation. (The three Tribes are the Mandan, Hidatsi and Arikara). I saw three Bull Boats, including one made for the Heritage Centre in the 1950s by the late Anna Crowfoot (Mrs J.Y. Eagle). Some years ago I saw another Bull Boat at the Smithsonian Museum in New York and have photographs and details of another in Minnesota. They are all quite similar in construction.

North American Bull Boat

They are roughly circular being about 50'' in diameter and having a depth of about 15''. The ribs numbered approximately 6 lengthways and 5 transversely. The gunwale and lower hoop are both circular. They are all made of willow called locally "mahohesha" and are covered in animal hide (either buffalo or cow). The animal's hair is on the outside so that an easier movement is attained when under way. The tail is left on so that it is possible to see which way the hair runs and so that the tails of the two craft can be tied together when one is towing the other which often happened. Of particular interest is the paddle, clearly seen in the photograph. The odd shape in the centre of the blade I have been informed was to make paddling easier. The marks on the blade denote ownership (Bull Boats were always made by the women of the tribe) and also displayed their husbands' battle honours. Not only were the Boats made by the women but they were the principle users of them. The Bull Boat in the National Coracle centre is a replica made from a series of photographs of the late Anna Crowsfoot making a Bull Boat assisted by her grandson. He lives on the reservation and remembers the construction. It was my great pleasure to meet Harry Sitting Bear on the reservation who remembered warmly his visit to Cenarth in Wales and paddling on the River Teifi with coracle maker Bernard Thomas.

Bull Boats ceased to be used by the tribes during the 19th Century. I was told this was because of the lack of available building materials i.e. the Bison and the Mahohesha willow are gone. But also because the plains Indians are a pragmatic people and when later easier forms of transport were provided by the settlers, they used them instead.

The Plains Indians used the Bull Boats for the following purposes, namely:

1. Ferrying buffalo meat after the hunt. The Bull Boats would sometimes be made in situ sometimes up to 40 at a time.
2. Collecting firewood .
3. Stealing horses (the boats being left behind).
4. To assist raiding parties.
5. To protect chimneys of "earth lodges".

Catlin, the famous American painter who lived amongst the Plains Indians for a number of years believed that Welsh Coracles in the mid 19th century were identical to Bull Boats and this was a compelling reason for believing the "Madog" theory. Sadly, a perusal of pictures of coracles in Cilgerran painted by Ibbotson in 1790 and Hugh Hughs' Tywi Coracles 1840-1850 show that far from being similar to Bull Boats they very closely resemble modern Teifi and Towy Coracles. Fortunately, however, there is other supporting evidence for the theory.

Harry Sitting Bear on a visit to the National Coracle Centre

American Bull Boat - Middle Missouri