Jicarilla Girl
The wide-eyed Jicarilla girl in this shot is wearing her customary “feast dress.” The feast dress is an especially extravagant clothing that represents a young Jicarilla woman’s transition into womanhood. The cape is adorned with lunar designs that represent the phases of the moon and the feminine cycle. The feast is a four-day festival in which the community’s women share their experiences and lessons with the girl. The introduction of domestic sewing machines in the late nineteenth century did little to alter the dress’s heritage, elevating it to even greater uniqueness.
Jicarilla Girl
Cheyenne Woman
A young Cheyenne woman looks carefully at the camera lens. Her look was immortalized in the sixth edition of Edward Curtis’ renowned “The North American Indian” book series. The Cheyenne country she belonged to was one of the most powerful in Native American politics and history. The Cheyenne’s elaborate trading and bartering system resulted in a sizable economy based mostly on bison-produced items. However, after competing tribes and European immigrants slaughtered the buffalo to near extinction, the Cheyenne lost their economic footing and had to rely on financial aid from the US government.
Cheyenne Woman
