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Native American Art
By Marc Forrest Kaplan
The highly expressive
drawings depicting Native American life on the Plains have always
resonated with the public. The intricately described rituals of
daily existence are brought to life by dynamic images of a thriving
horse culture that was interdependent in its relationship to the
environment and not parasitical.
A key hallmark of Native
American culture is the deep respect the Indians had for the environment.
The pictures painted by Native American artists exemplify the
harmony that existed. The animals most commonly depicted are horses
and buffalo. The horses served as extended members of the Indian
family since their early adoption from Spanish explorers. Serving
as methods of conveyance, their visage is often shown in highly
expressive portraits of hunts or running battles with other tribes.
Horses also functioned as living stories for their masters. During
festivals, horses were painted in colors favored by Indian families
that often expressed feelings of bravery and familial duty.
The other group of animals highly prized by Plains Indians is
the buffalo. The importance of the buffalo to the American Plains
Indians cannot be overstated. Illustrations of bison are widespread
in Native American art. The images of a mass of bison stampeding
across the expansive and undulating plain is a stunning visual
and often the ground is completely obscured by a sea of brown
fur. The Indians had a symbiotic relationship with bison and their
respect for them is shown in their art. The thrill and exhilaration
of the buffalo chase is shown in stunning detail, however the
actual killing is never seen as gratuitous. Native Americans never
slaughtered more buffalo than currently needed. The wanton extermination
of bison by American settlers shown in their drawings is anathema
to the Native American cultural ethic. After a successful hunt,
stories and drawings were often recorded by participants thanking
the bison for providing sustenance to the tribe so their community
could move forward and prosper. American Settler art illustrated
buffalo scalps for its own self-aggrandizement and bragging rights.
The living history of the
Plains Indians encapsulated in drawings and stories serves as
one the most vital keystones of our country’s history. The
rich complexity of Native American art and the respect the Indians
showed towards the environment are examples that current and future
generations should respect and follow.
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