Brulé War Party, Lakota (1907 CE)
The bonnets and lances of the war party symbolize ritualistic achievements—each eagle feather earned through heroic deeds—and reflect the Lakota's Seven Values, including woohitika (bravery) and wotakuye (kinship).
Documents
Historical manuscripts, maps, letters, and records that offer a direct window into the past. These written artifacts preserve the thoughts, events, and transactions of individuals and societies across time.
The Medicine Man (Slow Bull), Oglala Lakota (c. 1907 CE)
Slow Bull himself transitioned from a warrior—participating in 55 battles against tribes such as the Crow and Shoshoni—to a medicine man after a visionary dream in the late 1800s, serving as a subchief from 1878 onward.
A Smoky Day at the Sugar Bowl, Hupa (1923 CE)
Captured on a smoky day in 1923 by renowned photographer Edward S. Curtis, it features a Hupa man poised confidently on a rock midstream, spear in hand, as if ready to strike at passing salmon.
The Primitive Artists, Paiute (1924 CE)
The image depicts a Paviotso (Northern Paiute) man standing beside a glacial boulder covered in ancient primitive petroglyphs, carefully adding a new marking to the stone. The image captures a powerful moment: tradition in motion.
Two Whistles, Crow (c. 1908 CE)
The photograph of Two Whistles, an Apsaroke (Crow) man, taken by Edward S. Curtis around 1908, presents a compelling and intimate portrait that immediately draws the viewer into the rich visual and spiritual world of the Apsaroke people.
One Blue Bead, Northern Cheyenne (c. 1908 CE)
One blue bead's expression, attire, and ornaments convey a story that extends beyond the individual, offering insight into the social, spiritual, and ceremonial life of the Northern Cheyenne during a period of profound transformation.
Lucille, Sioux (c. 1907 CE)
Lucille wears a headband and a buckskin dress decorated with cowrie shells. At first glance the photograph appears calm and restrained, yet it carries a powerful presence.
Long Time Dog, Hidatsa (c. 1908 CE)
His name (Long time dog) is likely an English rendering of a Hidatsa name. In Plains cultures, dogs carried strong symbolic associations with loyalty, protection, and wealth, especially before the widespread adoption of the horse, when dogs served as essential draft animals.
Young Hairy Wolf, Crow (c. 1905 CE)
Young Hairy Wolf was born around 1849 and died in 1919. He served as a medicine man—a spiritual leader responsible for healing rituals, visions, and traditional medical practices.
Watching the Signal, Crow (c. 1905 CE)
Taken around 1905, this black-and-white image portrays one man seated and two standing, all gazing westward, as if watching the signal about to appear. It evokes the timeless essence of Native American life on the Great Plains.
Mis Se Pah, Mojave (1903 CE)
As part of Curtis's ambitious documentation of North American Indigenous peoples, the photograph not only highlights Mis se pah's individual beauty but also serves as a window into the Mohave people's enduring connection to their ancestral lands along the Colorado River.
Ben Long Ear, Crow (1905 CE)
Fragmented records suggest that a man called Ben long ear lived on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana and may have been born in the late nineteenth century.