Piegan Women
Two Piegan women have a tranquil moment overlooking a sparkling lake in this 1911 photograph by Edward S. Curtis. Piegan women played a significant role in the Blackfeet community. Piegan women were referred to as “manly-hearted women.” It portrayed them as fiercely independent and, unlike the roles of many other Native American women at the time, free to make their own decisions and live alone if they choose. The Piegan woman’s age-old belief regarding her husband was to “sit beside him” rather than “sit behind him.”
Piegan Women
Wishram Woman With Nose Piercing
A Wishram woman, noted for her remarkable basketry skills and gorgeous designs, shows off her jewelry to the camera, including an especially striking dentalium shell nose piercing. Dentalium shell was a highly sought-after and widely traded item among First Nations, Native Americans, and Inuit. As a rare material, the ornamental shell represented nobility and was typically worn by women of high status within the tribe. The Nuu-chah-nulth people, who lived in America’s Pacific Northwest, were the major harvesters and distributors of the rare substance since they had easy access to the plentiful coastal plains.
Wishram Woman With Nose Piercing
