Museum spotlights ‘Power and Prestige’ of American Indian headdresses
Stunningly beautiful, majestic and a display of fine craftsmanship. The headdress is perhaps one of the most iconic images of the American West. It is also an artifact of American Indian culture that people know surprising little about.
Often misunderstood as a symbol of war, the truth behind the elaborate feather headdresses is more complex than the name “war bonnet”’ would indicate. Going back centuries, headdresses played an important role in both ritual and war, and with many tribal varieties in style, use and design.
“The eagle feather headdress was more than just a war bonnet. It was a power item. War bonnet is therefore a misnomer,” said Eric Singleton, curator of Ethnology at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
A person usually earned their feathers through selfless acts of courage and honor, or received them in gratitude for their work or service to their tribe. American Indian tribes consider the presentation of an eagle feather to be one of their highest marks of respect.
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosts Power and Prestige: Headdresses of the American Plains through May 14. This original exhibition curated by the Museum includes eleven headdresses from the Northern and Southern American Great Plains along with historical photographs, and other supporting artifacts.
While presenting a realistic investigation of the feather headdress, the Power and Prestige exhibition explores who wore them, what places they held in society, and how these uses varied depending on tribal nation and even the headdress maker, Singleton said.
The gallery includes ledger art depicting Indian warriors and bonnets from the museum’s permanent collection. Along with the exhibition’s ledger art are photographs and paintings of bonnets in both dance and daily life. All art, artifacts, and photographs are attributed to the Blackfoot, Arikara, Piegan, Shoshone, Mandan, Cheyenne-Arapaho, Crow, Kiowa, Lakota, and Pawnee tribes.
Singleton said he wanted to create the exhibit to connect the public with these wonderful cultural objects.
Each indicated rank within the tribe, a person’s membership in a specific tribal society or cult, a sign of wealth, or a display of spiritual power. Ritualistically, headdresses granted certain powers as well that wearers could take into battle, use to cure the sick, commune with the gods, or, in certain instances, actually become a supernatural being.
Today, the eagle feather headdress is used by many indigenous nations who traditionally never wore them.
Brought about by Wild West shows, Hollywood movies and greater communication between indigenous nations, these items have now become an iconic image of native culture and lead to the false belief that all American Indians, regardless of location, wore these iconic pieces. The lectures discussing the exhibition also touch on the cultural misappropriation of wearing headdresses as costumes.
“I always loved headdresses, and learned that not a lot of research has been done on them. There just is not a lot of information out there,” he said.
Tasked with preserving and interpreting the history and culture of the American West, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is in a unique position to contribute to the conversation and begin educating people about the significance of the headdresses.
“Eagle feather headdresses are objects of great power and stunning beauty,” Singleton said. “However, I feel that the true essence of what they mean has been missed, forgotten, overlooked, and sadly, sometimes used only to tell a story rooted in propaganda.
“For the average person, if you want to learn more about these items, please come and see the varied styles of headdresses, the different cultures that wore them, and the different ways they were worn.”
The exhibition is supported by a number of supplemental events including Western Movie Matinees, educational programs and workshops for both children and adults.
Headdresses, ledger art and photographs from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s permanent collection, as well as headdresses from the Gilcrease Museum and the Oklahoma History Center, will be on display.
For tickets or more information to help plan a visit to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, visit www. nationalcowboymuseum. org/plan-your-visit.