Native American Artifacts

The interesting part of this assignment is looking at these particular artifacts and seeing one which is an image made to represent some of the tribe (the image on the right) and the other shows an effort to connect people outside of the tribes with the culture (the image on the left) and the dedication of making that history known with a museum that will continue to do so. If I am ever in Washington, DC this will be the museum that I will want to go see myself.

Artist/Maker: Rock Pipestem, Oto/Missouria/Osage, b. ca. 1972 and Kingston Pipestem, Oto/Missouria/Osage.

Data Source: National Museum of the American Indian

Catalog Number: 26/4575

The Oto tribe was historically located in the Northwest corner of Missouri. During the 18th century the Missouria tribe with its remaining members (who were lost from warfare or smallpox) joined the Oto tribe where they can be found today in Oklahoma. This particular piece was made in 2004. Where the artists were selected and employed to make a drum during the First Americans Festival. This festival was created to celebrate the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.

Photo Lot 90-1, number 360, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Date Source: National Anthropological Archives

Local Call Number: NAA INV 09856800

This photograph of two Oto (Otoe) native americans is of two men. In this stereograph one of the men holds a bow and the other a revolver. The collection is apart of the George V. Allen photograph collection and places this image at c. 1860-1935. So there is no definitive date for this one. The series that this image is a part of is called Photographs of Indians and is numbered to 206.

To see a video clip from the First Americans Festival in 2004 click on the link below:

Smithsonian Institute Archives: National Museum of the American Indian Opening Ceremony, September 21, 2004, Washington, DC

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