Chief Garfield
In this 1907 photograph by Edward S. Curtis, a Jicarilla chieftain known as “Chief Garfield” poses somberly. He was a revered and important leader in the Lakota Sioux tribe, recognized for his intelligence, diplomacy, and devotion to his people. The chief is dressed in feathers as a headdress and a sash, with braided hair wrapped with fur sleeves and enormous hooped earrings that fit the time period. In this 1907 photograph by Edward S. Curtis, a Jicarilla chieftain known as “Chief Garfield” poses somberly. He was a revered and important leader in the Lakota Sioux tribe, recognized for his intelligence, diplomacy, and devotion to his people. The chief is dressed in feathers as a headdress and a sash, with braided hair wrapped with fur sleeves and enormous hooped earrings that fit the time period.
Chief Garfield
Chief Garfield Medal
A Jicarilla leader wears a medal featuring the likeness of then-American President James A. Garfield. After winning the award, the tribal leader changed his name to “Chief Garfield.” President Garfield presented the medal to Chief Garfield in recognition of his efforts to maintain peace between the Jicarilla people and the United States government. Chief Garfield would eventually acquire the same Spanish surname, Velarde. In the photograph, he wears a European waistcoat and collared shirt, as well as his Jicarilla sash and shell necklace. The Chief was linked with numerous historic events, but he is best known for playing a critical role in maintaining his people’s traditional legacy and pushing for indigenous rights.
Chief Garfield Medal
