Posted 10 years ago
Vrgdc
(25 items)
This is a framed picture of a young Indian girl that's been in my family for many years. She looks Navajo to me, but it's just a guess. I'm not sure if it's a print or what, but I'm reasonably sure that it's not a photograph. She looks sad and when I look at this picture it makes me sad. If anyone has any thoughts or ideas about this picture please feel free to comment. Thanks
Hard to tell if it is a photograph or lithographic print. It COULD be a hand tinted photograph. Some photos out of the frame may help.
The beading should identify a tribe-- I am not that familiar, but an online search will probably give you the answer.
Good luck in your resarch.
scott
Scott,
It has about a hundred little nails holding the picture in place. If they come out easy I'll take it apart tomorrow and post the back side. I have a good size book of american indian art I'll take a look at it to see if I can find out what pattern is on her vest. Thanks for your input!
Sad indeed! Exploitation of native children to feed the white man's, and woman, vanity. The vest is, I believe, indicative of the Lakota (meaning "the people"). The common misnomer is "Sioux." Sioux is the french spelling of a Lakota word meaning "enemy." The early French trappers would hear the Lakota use this word so often in their presence that "Sioux" became the name that the Lakota were know as from then on. What would you call the people that killed your parents and brothers, sterilized you, cut your hair and said "assimilate." Contact the Lakota national headquarters at Pine Ridge, they will give you all the information you'll wish you never had.
The bead work will only tell you where the clothes are from. You need to put yourself in the time and place. A little girl, most likely posses against her will wearing what the artist pulled of the rack...most likely a mix. I am fairly certain the vest is Lakota
Vermont,
Thanks for the information, and I agree with your contempt for the exploitation and even the genocide occurred in this country. I couldn't have said better myself!
If you want the true unedited academic version in all of its nightmarish details from the landing of the Spanish through to today, check out a book called AMERICAN HOLOCAUST by an author named David Stannard.
Its so deep, lovely, adorable and sad at same time.
I can see and feel many emotions.
Sweet little girl, across the time still your honey eyes speak so much to us about you...
All my love is with you.
Never better said: "American Holocaust"!!!
A hug for you Vrgdc!
Vermont,
I will check out that book. Are you knowledgeable in American Indian clothing and art? I have a couple of breast plates one of them is Sioux, but I don't know where or how to research them. I could post them here if you want to see them.
Thanks Virginia!!
I see this one differently.
I see a proud young girl in her traditional clothing. While I have seen some degrading Native American images, there were many photographers and painters that sought to capture the character and traditions of Native Americans in order to document the culture.
scott
Scott,
With all due respect, I think Vermont got this one right when he said, "A little girl, most likely posses against her will wearing what the artist pulled of the rack...most likely a mix." She also has a look of bewilderment about her.
We see it differently!
We can agree it is an interesting image, though.
scott
I also believe you will find that the outfit is congruent to ONE particular tribe and not a mismatch.
scott
scott
Scott,
The picture postcard on your page of an elderly Sioux woman looks like a proud native American. The outfit looks like Sioux to me, but I'm not convinced that it's a match.
Great post Vrgdc. Fascinating photo however its interpreted, i guess we'll all see something different in it. Great info too, id never heard Vermonts comment about the Sioux / Lakota mix up before.
Vintagefran,
Yes it is open to interpretation, but how could any true Native American really be happy, and not be angry or bitter? Even though this is a very young girl she is still a product of her environment so if her Mom and Dad and all the other Native Americans that she is surrounded by are angry, bitter, hurt, sad, and displaced, then that's what she is too.
The entity that destroyed and displaced a great people is sill alive and well in this country, but it can't be the ones that run our country because we are the land of the free, and all men are created equal. Right? We are a nation of laws that are put in place to protect every individual who lives within this country's boundaries. Right?
The Cherokee fit in well with American system and could have thrived within it, but they were told to move to a reservation in Oklahoma along with other southeastern American Indian tribes. So they took it to court and won. Andrew Jackson overruled the decision and sent them packing off to Oklahoma.
How can they get away with such an injustice? Even today they get away with it because we allow it. We either can't or won't stand up to it.
It's an interesting image, but first of all, this is not a little Indian girl. Or if it is, the question should be why is she is somehow wearing her big brother's clothing? (Does that account for the expression people are seeing and trying to interpret?)
The beadwork on the vest and sleeves is in the style and patterns done by the Sioux tribes, but no little Lakota girl from this time period would wear a boy's pants, shirt, and vest. She'd be wearing a proper buckskin dress.
The clothing is definitely plains Indian style, and the child is definitely not Navajo. That much is obvious. (The Navajo don't wear plains Indian clothing and beadwork, nor do they wear their hair like this.) The clothing doesn't fit however...the pants are obviously too long, and the shirt and vest too big, and even the moccasins appear to not fit correctly.
Did someone just find an available child to dress and pose in the studio, and used whatever Indian apparel was available? That would be my assumption, based on the evidence in the picture.
CanyonRoad,
Read what Vermont wrote comments #3,4. I think the young girl looks Navajo, but the vest looks Sioux to me. As I said it's just a guess. Thanks for your input.
Change the things that she has been a little girl, teenager,woman or an old lady?
She was a human like you and me and all of us.
Through this great photo or picture we can learn and think about not repeat the same dramatic mistakes anymore.
With all my respect.
Thanks Virginia. Very nice.
Hi Vrgdc,
I have kept coming back to this little girl, there was something that couldn't pin point. Her body is a little girl, when I look at her face it's not a little girls face, it's a face of someone much older. I hope that makes sense
Peasejean55, Yes I see what you mean. There is a curious presence to this young girl.
Thanks
I'm glad your OK with what I said, you get a little nervous about what you say.