UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE EMBODIMENTS OF POWER: NINETEENTH-CENTURY WARRIOR ART AMONG THE CHEYENNES AND KIOWAS A Dissertation SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fiilfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Bradley A. Finson Norman, Oklahoma 2003 UMI Number: 3096339 Copyright 2003 by Finson, Bradley A. All rights reserved. UMI UMI Microform 3096339 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ©Copyright by Bradley A. Finson 2003 All Rights Reserved. EMBODIMENTS OF POWER: NINETEENTH-CENTURY WARRIOR ART AMONG THE CHEYENNES AND KIOWAS A Dissertation APPROVED FOR THE GRADUATE COLLEGE BY / û û r a ... Clara^St^ Kidwell, Committee Chair Peter Hassrick ) Albert Hurtad usan Vchik atson Acknowledgments I wish to express my sincere thanks to Ernest Toppah, Director of the Kiowa Tribe Musexam for the many hours spent interpreting the oral history tapes held in the museum’s archives; to the members of the Kiowa Museum Board for their time and information; to Jim Anquoe, Sr. for his keen insights and observations on Kiowa culture. Also, my thanks to Gordon Yellowman of the Cheyenne-Arapaho tribe for his boundless generosity and patience with my seemingly endless questions. I wish to thank various other members of the Cheyenne and Kiowa communities which participated in this study, and for their peoples’ willingness to allow me access to their communities in order to conduct my research. I thank my committee members for their support and guidance through the course of my doctoral studies. Their knowledge, input, and expertise served me well. Lastly, I wish to express my gratitude to my wife Linnea, and my children, Bradlin, Isaiah, Nathanael, and Kayalan for their patience and endurance. Their support and encouragement throughout made this study possible. IV Table of Contents List of Illustrations.............................................................................................................. vi Abstract ................................................................................................................................ x Introduction...........................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1 : Tribal Histories: Beginnings to 1840 .................................................................. 18 Chapter 2; Tribal Histories: the Changing Face of Trade and Warfare................................. 59 Chapter 3 : The Warrior Societies: Origins, Validation, and Warrior Ethos.......................... 94 Chapter 4: Art as a Reflection of Environment: the Created Universe.................................135 Chapter 5 : Embodiments of Power: Vision Imagery and Biographic Art........................... 174 Chapter 6: Conclusions:.................................................................................................... 217 Bibliography:................................................................................................................... 225 Appendices:......................................................................................................................242 List of Illustrations “The Captured Cavalry Mount.” ............................................................................................3 Bonnet, War Shirt, and Dog Rope......................................................................................... 5 “Proving His Medicine......................................................................................................... 7 Tsistsistas Moccasins......................................................................................................... 12 Tsistsistas Shield................................................................................................................30 Tsaeigul ............................................................................................................................. 36 Lakota Calender glyph........................................................................................................38 “The Girl Who Married the Sun.” ........................................................................................39 Drawing of the Tai ’me Keeper, assistant, and theTai ’me figures.........................................42 The Arrow Renewal Ceremony.......................................................................................... 50 Sett ’an Calender glyph........................................................................................................51 “A Bowstring Warrior with Captured Horses.”................................................................... 76 “Captured Horses.”.............................................................................................................76 “Captured Mules.”..............................................................................................................79 “Feathered Bear Proves His Power.” ................................................................................... 96 Shirt. Upper Missouri Region........................................................................................... 139 Left Hand Bonnet............................................................................................................. 140 Tie Creek Ledger page 188 ................................................................................................ 142 Little Rock Shield ............................................................................................................. 143 Broadhead Shield............................................................................................................. 143 Black Magpie's Star Picture Tipi......................................................................................145 vi Tsistsistas Woman’s beaded bag ....................................................................................... 148 Caiugu cradle board hood ................................................................................................. 148 “The Honoring.” ............................................................................................................... 153 “The Honoring, Cheyenne Ceremony.”............................................................................. 155 “Indian Cavalry Charge.”.................................................................................................. 160 “Southern Cheyenne Sun Dance or the Great Medicine Lodge Ceremony.”.......................162 Onhati and Settiia shield designs....................................................................................... 168 Dog Man shield................................................................................................................ 169 The Underwater Monster Tipi........................................................................................... 175 Whistling Elk Shield ........................................................................................................178 Crazy Mule Shield...........................................................................................................178 Tie Creek Ledger page 106................................................................................................ 184 Tie Creek Ledger page 107 ................................................................................................185 “Tipis and Owners.”......................................................................................................... 186 “Three Painted Tipis.”...................................................................................................... 187 “A Cheyenne at Home.”....................................................................................................188 “Three Distinguished Warriors.” .......................................................................................189 Untitled Tickematse drawing............................................................................................ 190 Marnante shield design......................................................................................................190 Guata face and horse paint................................................................................................ 191 Paints and shield designs.................................................................................................. 192 Tenadati shield and face paint...........................................................................................194 vii Burnt All Over shield ........................................................................................................195 Okehisvootan shield..........................................................................................................198 Okehisvatoon ’s face paint................................................................................................. 199 Howling Wolfs Bowstring Society lance......................................................................... 200 Howling Wolf paints........................................................................................................ 201 Iron Shirt face and horse paints..........................................................................................202 Iron