# La Resortera de Calaveras A Catty for Day of the Dead!



## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

Saludos everyone,

This post was intended to be for November 2nd El Dia de Los Muertos but my cell phone and its network which I use to take my poor pictures was not getting through emailing the pictures until yesterday. Of note the resortera was completed on the night of
Dia de los Muertos.

Now I have time to post this here as I already posted this resortera on Jacksshed.

Some months ago I was given a wonderful fork by my chain gang brother jmplsnt it is a hackberry fork I believe. 








This fork inspired me during this recently passed special season to carve this fork in Honor of the Day of the dead which is a Mexican Festival in honor of our deceased and is about ancestral rememberance.

The fork was carved in the usual vertebrate style which for reference sake is based on Osteological imagery (bones, spinal cords etc)

To this fork I added some pyrography based on the (tzompantli) or skull rack which is a practice carried on by both the Mexica( Aztec) and Quiche (Maya). This was a rack of skulls from fallen enemies which in a round about way was intended to remember their strength and in turn this brought Aztec warriors well being and prosperity in their lives.

This skull rack was also symbolically incorporated into some of the stone Temple walls as they had an altar that was used in rites of reverance to the dead.

It is from this symbolism that I borrowed heavily to make this slingshot a tribute to this sacred day as this fork comes from such a special place connected to those who have passed before us.

Without further introduction here is the Tzompantli slingshot or calaveras resortera (slingshot of skulls). The woodburning is based on this temple motif








Note: the flower in the picture is a marigold la flor de los muertos or flower of dead in Mexican tradition 







This is the back where you attach the bands







This is the face








I'm sorry for the glare as this cell phone does not take the greatest pictures.

The bands are the red #32s 444 chain enough power for hunting and good control already shot this a few times at a 40' target with stones and was able to score on the hanging soda can 7 of 10 times.

Thanks for looking..
Nico


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

Great looking slingshot, very good for the Day of the Dead.....


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## Xidoo (Aug 14, 2010)

Orale Nico,
Great slingshot and is very nice of you to dedicate it to the day of the dead. Nice explanation on our heritage, I would just like to add that the Marygolds are known in Mexico as Xempaxochilt (twenty flowers). Thanks for sharing carnal. Que viva la raza!!


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## Mtnfolk Mike (Aug 23, 2010)

right on Nico... nice work.. that's a cool looking slingshot...


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Can you show me how you attach chained rubber to a natural?


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Nico, beautiful work. What is the origin of the word Rosetera, I dont find a translation in the Spanish dictonary?


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Rosortera, sorry for the misspelling.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

"Resortera" is Spanish for slingshot, though on occasion you will hear them called "tirador" or "honda". The last two, and especially "honda" are also used for braided Davd v. Goliath-type slings.


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

nice


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

My daughter and I made this porcelain skull for Halloween. Now that has passed, it sits on my workbench as a reminder to make each piece my best work for that shall one day be part of my legacy.


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## Grafvitnir (Apr 21, 2010)

"Can you show me how you attach chained rubber to a natural?"

I guess there are many of us waiting for your tutorial Nico









Thank you

Rubén


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

RecurveMaster said:


> Can you show me how you attach chained rubber to a natural?


Hi RM,

Do you mean you want me to show you the tie down attachment on these slingshots I make?


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

philly said:


> Rosortera, sorry for the misspelling.


Resortera is a play on _resorte _which is what the elastic band is called which is sometimes used to describe a spring or coiled spring descriptive of the springy nature of the elastic used to make a slingshot. Restorera then is an active noun descriptive of the elastic bands in use.

In the Yucatan they dont call it Resortera instead it is called _Tira Hules _which roughly means rubber thrower or elastic hurler a similar name to what the Spaniards called it "Tira Gomas" Goma being sometimes a name for rubberbands _gomitas._


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

ZDP-189 said:


> My daughter and I made this porcelain skull for Halloween. Now that has passed, it sits on my workbench as a reminder to make each piece my best work for that shall one day be part of my legacy.


Very nice skull,

Yes it is a part of all our destinies as much as many would like to avoid its reality: In life only death is certain.
Thats why at least for some in my culture the reverance to the ancestors gives us a holistic sense of acceptance of death and the continuation of life. If we have stood so tall it is because we stand on the shoulders of those that went before us.


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

Xidoo said:


> Orale Nico,
> Great slingshot and is very nice of you to dedicate it to the day of the dead. Nice explanation on our heritage, I would just like to add that the Marygolds are known in Mexico as Xempaxochilt (twenty flowers). Thanks for sharing carnal. Que viva la raza!!


Gracias Carnal,

Me alegro que to gusto mi resortera, y ahora me falta bautizar la en la sangre de unos aves o quiza unos conjeos








Sabes que la Catrina es el imagen moderno de la huesuda nuestra señora Mictlantecihuatl.

Tu recua la Catrina si la tienes armada con hules?

Nico


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

Xidoo said:


> Orale Nico,
> Great slingshot and is very nice of you to dedicate it to the day of the dead. Nice explanation on our heritage, I would just like to add that the Marygolds are known in Mexico as Xempaxochilt (twenty flowers). Thanks for sharing carnal. Que viva la raza!!


Gracias Carnal,

Me alegro que to gusto mi resortera, y ahora me falta bautizar la en la sangre de unos aves o quiza unos conjeos








Sabes que la Catrina es el imagen moderno de la huesuda nuestra señora Mictlantecihuatl.

Tu recua la Catrina si la tienes armada con hules?

Nico


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## huey224 (Apr 12, 2010)

ZDP-189 said:


> My daughter and I made this porcelain skull for Halloween. Now that has passed, it sits on my workbench as a reminder to make each piece my best work for that shall one day be part of my legacy.


nice work,what is that on the cougar?


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

That's a mock-up of a proposed handle design. If you want, I suggest we discuss it in bunnybuster's Modified Cougar thread rather than hijacking this one.


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## Xidoo (Aug 14, 2010)

Nico said:


> Orale Nico,
> Great slingshot and is very nice of you to dedicate it to the day of the dead. Nice explanation on our heritage, I would just like to add that the Marygolds are known in Mexico as Xempaxochilt (twenty flowers). Thanks for sharing carnal. Que viva la raza!!


Gracias Carnal,

Me alegro que to gusto mi resortera, y ahora me falta bautizar la en la sangre de unos aves o quiza unos conjeos








Sabes que la Catrina es el imagen moderno de la huesuda nuestra señora Mictlantecihuatl.

Tu recua la Catrina si la tienes armada con hules?

Nico
[/quote]

Que onda Nico, 
No, no tengo la catrina armada y no la he usado para tirar con ella a ninguna ave o animal. No sabia que la catrina es la moderna imagen de la esposa de Mitlantecutli, que es uno de mis dioses mexicas mas queridos. Eso si he probado a la catrina con botes y tira muy bien me gusta mugo su ergonometria. Saludos.
Xidoo.


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

Excellent tribute to this ancient festival Nico, combines the mystique of the tradition of Day of the Dead and a slingshot. and with respect to the named I can think of and the allusion to the skulls could be "The skulls broken" but in Nahuatl, only I'm not as versed in the language and do not know how to write.


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