Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund

This shirt is very early, pre 1830s Blackfoot. The fringe along the sleeves and shirttail is the remnants of ermine and bits can still be seen. The painted figures of people are probably indicative of dead people or people the warrior killed. Should be called a War Shirt not a dress shirt. The quillwork is bird quill. Quillwork is similar to Mandan Hidatsa. Sometimes dots that are rounded indicate hailstones but then they are organized in a scattered fashion more like splashes. There are many anomalies in the quill/bead design.

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund

Butterfly Girl (Polimana) Kachina. This Kachina has a body carved from one piece of cottonwood root. She wears a large, rayed headdress painted brilliantly with blue, yellow and red stripes and black dots that indicate pollen on the front. The back of the headdress is red with a cluster of feathers on the back of her head and three braided yarns, one each, red, green, white hanging down the back. She stands on both feet and raises her PR arm holding two feathers in each hand. Her clothing is also all carved. She wears a blue dress with darker blue apron with red and green bands on the bottom and a red sash with a broken diamond pattern. She has a short white shawl with red edges around her PL shoulder. Butterfly Girl appears during Angk'wa (night dances). It is a series of colorful dances usually performed with four pairs of maidens and male partners (all kachinas portrayed by males). The Angk'wa is sponsored by a kiva to promote all life-growth.

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund

Rooster (Takawee)Kachina Doll Kachina body totally carved from one piece of cottonwood root. He has a muti-striped face and helmet type mask, black slit eyes and a yellow bird beak. He has a bare chest painted yellow on the PL side and blue on the PR. He wears a white cape, and holds a rattle in his PR hand and plant fibers in his PL hand. He wears a beaded necklace and jingle bells on the bands on top of his boots. This type of Kachina dates to the post-Spanish era when the Spanish brought chickens and roosters into the Hopi territory. Rooster Kachina may appear during winter kiva dances.

Wooden standing female figure. This figure lacks arms as well as the lower portion of its legs. Black beads are used to represent pupils. Its facial features are clearly delineated. Its head is flat. No distinction is made between the skirt and the torso. Old photographs show similar figures at potlatches (giveaways) clothed in blankets.

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund

Tomahawk with long wooden handle and metal head. Handle has studs in two rows with 4 diagonal stripes around it. A wrapped, beaded blue, white, and red hide piece slips over handle with an attached beaded and fringed flap hanging down from it. The flap's design includes a beaded cross in the center and a triangular form above the fringed end. The object was part of Red Cloud's War Outfit purchased in 1926 as material having belonged to him. Red Cloud lived from 1822 until 1909. Good condition.The pieces should be stored together. There is writing on the blade that reads partially: 2 COH ou LS Cast steel oits + co (or ons + co.) op.

Bequest of W.S. Morton Mead