Ouray, Ute

 

This postcard of a Ute leader features a photo from the Colorado Historical Society. Its unusual for a postcard to include specific details about Native people; this is a significant shift from older cards that often did not even include the subject's name or tribal affiliation.

Ouray's father was Jicarilla Apache and his mother was Uncompahgre Ute. He grew up in the Taos Pueblo and spoke multiple languages (Ute, Apache, Spanish, English). He became a leader at age 27 and in 1880 traveled to Washington to negotiate for his people. However they were removed from their lands in Western Colorado and placed on a reservation in Utah in 1881

Haida Mask

 

This older card from the UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver features "After He Has Seen the Spirit" a Haida mask made by Robert Davidson sometime around 1980. The mask is made of wood, feathers, and shell. 

Davidson (b. 1946) is a sculptor, painter, print maker and jeweler of Haida and Tlingit heritage. His work is found in museums, art galleries and private collections

Charles Moses Keokuk

 

This portrait of Charles (1854-1904), grandson of Keokuk (Sac/Fox) was probably taken around 1868 by Matthew Brady or Antonio Zeno Shindler as he accompanied his father and other members of a tribal delegation visiting Washington DC.

This modern card is part of the Faces of the First People, Native American Portraits 1865-1935, postcard book published by Pomegrante

Tenskwatawa

 

This Tippecanoe Battlefield Museum card features a portrait of Tenskwatawa (1775-1936), a Shawnee religious leader also known as The Open Door. He was brother to Tecumseh who organized a failed Native resistance movement, and was defeated at the Battle of Tippecanoe located in Indiana. The Prophet accompanied his community to a reservation in Kansas and died in 1836. 

His portrait was painted by George Catlin

Lakota Dress

 

This card from the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum depicts a beaded dress made around 1900 by Victoria Conroy (1866-1964). She lived on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and had 6 children. The museum website indicates that the dress weighed 50 pounds and was traded for $1000 worth of horses. It was later acquired by the Spotted Weasel family

National Museum of the American Indian

 

This card shows the Smithsonian's NMAI located on the mall in Washington DC. Built in 2004, the building was designed by Indigenous architects with a more natural stone look and a peaceful water park. Inside the cafe offers native foods to visitors, an open space for dancing and galleries displaying a small amount of the museum holdings. The gift shop sells postcards and native art objects

Thunderbird

 

Thunderbird by Peter Dawson, Kwakwaka'wakw

available from Native Northwest

The Thunder Beings are common to many Native peoples and generally seen as strong, helpful beings that cause thunder and lightning. These are seen as the Thunderbirds battle their enemy, Underwater Serpents that cause humans to drown