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Performing Archive Main Menu Visualizing the “Vanishing Race”: the photogravures of Edward S. Curtis Front Page for Visualizing the "Vanishing Race" path Curtis' Image and Life: The Network of The North American Indian, Inc. An experiment with data visualization approach to understand and contextualize Curtis' images and his life Media, Technology and Mediations Curtis's Technology, Relationships to Media and Style Contextualizing Curtis, The North American Indian, and Race the collection of essays from the contributors Consulting with Tribes as Part of Archive Development Introduction to Consulting with Tribes by Ulia Gosart Contributing Archives Information on how to participate in Performing Archive Browsing the Media A path of paths that allow users to cut through the collection in a variety of ways. Acknowledgements and Project Information Project Network

Cañon de Chelly - Navaho

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This page has annotations:

Cañon de Chelly - Navaho Annotation - Historical Fiction; Curtis as Canvas Erik Loyer
Contents of this annotation:
1. Cañon de Chelly - Navaho

This page has paths:

Navaho Erik Loyer
Contents of this path:
1. Vanishing race - Navaho
2. Chief of the desert - Navaho
3. Women of the desert - Navaho
4. Cañon de Chelly - Navaho
5. Cañon del Muerto - Navaho
6. At the shrine - Navaho
7. Nesjaja Hatali - Navaho
8. Son of the desert - Navaho
9. Navaho flocks
10. Blanket weaver - Navaho
11. Hastobiga - Navaho medicine-man
12. Point of interest - Navaho
13. Out of the darkness - Navaho
14. Sunset in Navaho-land
15. Alhkidokihi - Navaho
16. Assiniboin boy - Atsina
17. Jemez architecture On account of the comparative inaccessibility of its site on Rio Jemez, a westerly affluent of the Rio Grande, Jemez is annoyed by fewer white visitors than almost any other pueblo. The reticence and the mental sluggishness of its inhabitants do not encourage the ethnologist. The Jemez played a leading part in the rebellion of 1680 and were so severely punished by Vargas that their preference for isolation is comprehensible. They have long been intimate with the Navaho and considerable racial mixture has resulted.
18. Paguate Paguate is the oldest and largest of ten villages subsidiary to Laguna, the patent pueblo of this group. It appears to have been founded about the middle of the eighteenth century. Laguna itself dates from 1699. The two-story structure at the right, one of the two oldest buildings at Paguate, was a watchtower erected for the defense of the farming population from the roving Navaho, who disputed possession of this locality.
19. Laguna watchtower
20. Nayenezgani - Navaho
21. A noonday halt - Navaho
22. Jeditoh - Navaho
23. Lake Lajara - Navaho
24. Into the desert - Navaho
25. Nature's mirror - Navaho
26. Ca~non Hogan - Navaho
27. A drink in the desert - Navaho
28. Under the cottonwoods - Navaho
29. Cornfields in Ca~non del Muerto - Navaho
30. The blanket maker - Navaho
31. Pikehodiklad - Navaho
32. Hastin Yazhe - Navaho
33. Navaho Hogan
34. Navaho still life
35. Navaho medicine-man
36. Through the ca~non - Navaho
37. Evening in the desert - Navaho
38. Haschogan - Navaho
39. Nayenezgani - Navaho
40. Tobadzischini - Navaho
41. Haschezhini - Navaho
42. Gaaskidi - Navaho
43. Tonenili - Navaho
44. Zahadolzha - Navaho
45. Haschebaad - Navaho
46. Gaaskidi, Zahadolzha, Haschelti - Navaho
47. Tonenili, Tobadzischini, Nayenezgani - Navaho
48. Yebichai sweat - Navaho
49. Pikehodiklad - Navaho
50. Shilhne'ohli - Navaho
51. Zahadolzha - Navaho
52. Yebichai Hogan - Navaho
53. Yebichai dancers - Navaho
54. Tobadzischini - Navaho
55. Gaaskidi - Navaho
56. Zahadolzha - Navaho
57. Haschelti, Haschebaad, Zahadolzha - Navaho
58. Navaho women.
59. Painting on Deerskin Painting on brain tanned deerskin. The skin is an off white/grayish color. The paintings on the skin are yellow, brown, white, blue, green, black, orange and red. Various figures are painted on the skin which include, moons, equal sided crosses or "x", 3 anthropomorphic figures, one human head, a bird, and circles. There is a zig zag design the goes around the perimeter of the skin. There is a 1 cm wide hole in the skin in the lower left quadrant. The edges of the skin are fairly straight and smooth, indicating it was cut/trimmed to a roughly rectangular shape. The hide painting appears to be the same one illustrated in "Sacred buckskin - Apache", plate facing page 31, in The North American Indian (1907-1930) v.01, The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho ([Seattle] : E.S. Curtis ; [Cambridge, Mass. : The University Press], 1907. See pp. 29-35 for explanatory text, where it is identified as a medicine skin formerly owned by Navajo medicine man Hashke Nilnte, and acquired by Curtis from Hashke Nilnte's wife. The symbolism is then outlined in detail in the publication.View this plate online here: http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/viewPage.cgi?showp=1&size=2&id=nai.01.book.00000074.p&volume=1#nav .
60. Painting on Deerskin Painting on brain tanned deerskin. The skin is an off white/grayish color. The paintings on the skin are yellow, brown, white, blue, green, black, orange and red. Various figures are painted on the skin which include, moons, equal sided crosses or "x", 3 anthropomorphic figures, one human head, a bird, and circles. There is a zig zag design the goes around the perimeter of the skin. There is a 1 cm wide hole in the skin in the lower left quadrant. The edges of the skin are fairly straight and smooth, indicating it was cut/trimmed to a roughly rectangular shape. The hide painting appears to be the same one illustrated in "Sacred buckskin - Apache", plate facing page 31, in The North American Indian (1907-1930) v.01, The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho ([Seattle] : E.S. Curtis ; [Cambridge, Mass. : The University Press], 1907. See pp. 29-35 for explanatory text, where it is identified as a medicine skin formerly owned by Navajo medicine man Hashke Nilnte, and acquired by Curtis from Hashke Nilnte's wife. The symbolism is then outlined in detail in the publication. View this plate online here: http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/viewPage.cgi?showp=1&size=2&id=nai.01.book.00000074.p&volume=1#nav .
61. Painting on Deerskin Painting on brain tanned deerskin. The skin is an off white/grayish color. The paintings on the skin are yellow, brown, white, blue, green, black, orange and red. Various figures are painted on the skin which include, moons, equal sided crosses or "x", 3 anthropomorphic figures, one human head, a bird, and circles. There is a zig zag design the goes around the perimeter of the skin. There is a 1 cm wide hole in the skin in the lower left quadrant. The edges of the skin are fairly straight and smooth, indicating it was cut/trimmed to a roughly rectangular shape. The hide painting appears to be the same one illustrated in "Sacred buckskin - Apache", plate facing page 31, in The North American Indian (1907-1930) v.01, The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho ([Seattle] : E.S. Curtis ; [Cambridge, Mass. : The University Press], 1907. See pp. 29-35 for explanatory text, where it is identified as a medicine skin formerly owned by Navajo medicine man Hashke Nilnte, and acquired by Curtis from Hashke Nilnte's wife. The symbolism is then outlined in detail in the publication. View this plate online here: http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/viewPage.cgi?showp=1&size=2&id=nai.01.book.00000074.p&volume=1#nav .
62. Cap Cap. Seamed buckskin cap; is a light tan color. There is a chin strap attached to the bottom of the cap that is made of a single strip of skin. One side of the cap has a carved piece of abalone in the shape of a cross or an "x". The abalone is attached with a piece of thin skin wrapped in sinew. There is also a white, circular shell on top of the abalone. On the opposite of the cap, there is the same type of white shell in a rectangular shape attached to the cap with a thin piece of skin wrapped in sinew. At the end of this thread, the remains of a feather are present. The keratin center of the feather is all that remains. The painting on the cap, on the side with the abalone shell, depicts a human figure in a geometric/triangular design in brown and yellow. Underneath the figure, on the bottom of the cap, a repeating triangular design in yellow and brown is present. Above the figure on the top of the cap, a blue, flowing design is present, perhaps representing water (?). On the opposite side of the cap, with the rectangular white shell and feather, the same human figure is present, this time, painted in blue and brown. Underneath the figure is the same triangular design in brown and yellow, as well as a boat shaped figure in blue and brown. Above the figure is a zig zag design, starting from the top of the hat, coming down to the figure, possibly representing lightning (?). The top of the cap is painted with brown and yellow stripes. The cap appears to be the same one illustrated, along with bag and figure # E432868, in "Medicine cap and fetich - Apache", plate facing page 40, in The North American Indian (1907-1930) v.01, The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho ([Seattle] : E.S. Curtis ; [Cambridge, Mass. : The University Press], 1907. See pp. 40-41 for explanatory text. View this plate online here: http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/viewPage.cgi?showp=1&size=2&id=nai.01.book.00000089.p&volume=1#nav .
63. Cap Cap. Seamed buckskin cap. Light tan color with a yellow stripe that is painted or dyed down the center seam. There are eight sinew wrapped feathers on the top of the cap. The barbs of the feathers are missing, leaving the hard keratin center. Glass beads line the bottom in a diagonal, repeating black, white, black, white pattern. In the center of the cap, a cross or x on top of crescent moon (?) is depicted. There is chin strap connected to the cap made of two thin strips of skin twisted together. There is a tag attached to the object that reads "Apache See Vol 1 NAS page 42. 194, 10" . This possibly refers to p. 42 inThe North American Indian (1907-1930) v.01, The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho ([Seattle] : E.S. Curtis ; [Cambridge, Mass. : The University Press], 1907? The second paragraph on p. 42 discusses the crescent and cross motif that is on this hat, with origin discussion continuing in text to p. 44.
64. Pouch And Wooden Figure Pouch. The buckskin pouch is rectangular shaped with a long strap on the top, three bundles of fringe on the bottom, and a triangular flap to close the pouch. The purse fastens with a carved button made out of a white, shiny shell. There are two pieces of abalone and white, circular shells, each attached to lower right and left corners of the pouch with skin wrapped in sinew. The strap of the pouch is two strips of thin skin, twisted. A triangular design, painted in brown, lines the bottom of the flap that closes the pouch. Beneath that, an orange triangular design is painted. On the sides, a dark blue design is painted. On the bottom of the pouch, a green, triangular design is painted. Around the abalone on the left, a blue and orange triangular design is painted. Around the abalone on the right, a green and orange design is painted. The fringe on the bottom of the pouch is painted green, but some of the pigment has come off. On the opposite side of the pouch, there are no designs painted. The construction of the pouch is one, longer piece of skin, folded, and then sewn with strips of skin on the sides. Amulet. The front side of the figure has smaller pieces of abalone for the eyes, nose and mouth. The abalone for the right eye is missing. The figure seems to be a human shape, with four triangles (two painted brown, and two painted green) on the top of the head, maybe a crown (?). The figure has cross figures in green and brown on it's face. The figure is painted with other various geometric designs in green, brown, orange, and blue. The back of the figure is also painted in blue brown, orange and green designs. Tag found in pouch says "Apache See NAS V 1 p 40, 193, 50" . The bag and figure appear to be the same ones illustrated, along with cap # E432866, in "Medicine cap and fetich - Apache", plate facing page 40, in The North American Indian (1907-1930) v.01, The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho ([Seattle] : E.S. Curtis ; [Cambridge, Mass. : The University Press], 1907. See pp. 40-41 for explanatory text. View this plate online here: http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/viewPage.cgi?showp=1&size=2&id=nai.01.book.00000089.p&volume=1#nav .
List of Large Plates Supplementing Volume One Erik Loyer
Contents of this path:
1. Vanishing race - Navaho
2. Geronimo - Apache This portrait of the historical old Apache was made in March, 1905. According to Geronimo's calculation he was at the time seventy-six years of age, thus making the year of his birth 1829. The picture was taken at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the day before the inauguration of President Roosevelt, Geronimo being one of the warriors who took part in the inaugural parade at Washington. He appreciated the honor of being one of those chosen for this occasion, and the catching of his features while the old warrior was in a retrospective mood was most fortunate.
3. Desert rovers - Apache
4. Apache-land
5. Alchise - Apache
6. Sigesh - Apache
7. Apache
8. Apache reaper
9. Storm - Apache
10. Getting water - Apache
11. Story-telling - Apache
12. Renegade type - Apache
13. Scout - Apache
14. Morning bath - Apache
15. Apache Nalin
16. Eskadi - Apache
17. Apache babe
18. Chideh - Apache
19. Lost trail - Apache
20. Vash Gon - Jicarilla
21. Chief Garfield - Jicarilla
22. Jicarilla maiden
23. Jicarilla matron
24. Hilltop camp - Jicarilla
25. Jicarilla women
26. Chief of the desert - Navaho
27. Women of the desert - Navaho
28. Cañon de Chelly - Navaho
29. Cañon del Muerto - Navaho
30. At the shrine - Navaho
31. Nesjaja Hatali - Navaho
32. Son of the desert - Navaho
33. Navaho flocks
34. Blanket weaver - Navaho
35. Hastobiga - Navaho medicine-man
36. Point of interest - Navaho
37. Out of the darkness - Navaho
38. Sunset in Navaho-land
39. Alhkidokihi - Navaho

This page is referenced by:

Historical Fiction; Curtis as Canvas Beatrice Schuster, Scripps College Marianne Wiggins’ historical fiction novel The Shadow Catcher would seem to be a world away from anonymous users’ YouTube comments, but Wiggins also used Curtis’ photography as a route for exploring her own identity. She reproduces many of Curtis' photographs throughout the novel, but never provides any descriptions or captions for them. Wiggins completely decontextualizes the photos, instead using them as icons or symbols for her own identity project.

She composed her novel with two alternating stories: one follows Clara, the young woman who would become Edward S. Curtis’ wife, and the other follows a woman – a semi-fictional “Marianne Wiggins” – as she writes and pitches a novel about Edward Curtis (it’s all very meta). Just as she uses biographical information about Curtis to construct the “Clara” chapters, Wiggins uses her own family history to construct the others.
She also connects her character’s personal life to Curtis’ throughout the novel, highlighting that his gravesite is in Los Angeles where the character “Marianne” lives ¹ and commenting that “Curtis’s own father was my great-grandfather’s contemporary and had fought beside him in the Civil War” ². Ultimately, the two storylines converge when Marianne’s character discovers that a man named Curtis Edwards has assumed her dead father’s identity. She also meets a Native American named “Owns His Shadow” whose father worked with Curtis. Ultimately, Wiggins’ meditation on Curtis’ life and work allows her to discover more about herself. In the last chapter, she promises “Owns His Shadow” she will go on a “Vision Quest” with him, using Native American practices to discover herself. Wiggins, like the Youtube commenters, projects her character’s concerns, beliefs, and values onto Native American iconography through Curtis.