Lesson Plan Table of Contents
Symbols of Power in Clothing Worn by the Plains Indians Lesson Plan
Content Introduction
Power shirts, often made of tanned animal hides and adorned with objects such as fur, beads, and locks of hair, were highly important in the culture of many plains tribes, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, Crow, Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, Pawnee, Omaha, Mandan, Hidatsa, Gros Ventre, Blackfeet, Cree, Ojibwe, Arikara, Lakota, Dakota and others. These shirts, which were associated very closely with the identity of their wearer, present various symbols representing success in war, spirituality, special abilities, and outstanding achievements.
Guided Practice
To begin this activity, have students look at portraits of various chiefs and leaders by George Catlin, and ask them to comment on the attire of each sitter. You may also encourage students to listen to George Horse Capture speak about power shirts in the "Chiefs and Leaders" campfire story. For more information and for examples of Native American power shirts, students may visit the the Smithsonian Magazine's Old Ways Gallery.
Have students look at photographs of the three power shirts available on the Power Shirts—For Students page. Ask students to examine the pictographs and symbols on each shirt and guess the possible meanings. Write down answers on the board and after several minutes of guessing, tell students what the symbols most likely mean, according to: Joseph D. Horse Capture and George P. Horse Capture. (Source: Beauty, Honor, and Tradition: The Legacy of Plains Indians Shirts. Minnesota and Washington, D.C.: The Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, 2001.)
Shirt (back), Numakiki (Mandan), about 1820
- locks of hair and black stripes painted on arms—probably indicate the number of battles fought by this warrior
- 14 long horizontal stripes, with triangles at the end, on the right side—symbolic of pipes (triangle=bowl of pipe; stripe=stem of pipe)
- 17 vertical anthropomorphic figures on left side—symbolic of enemies killed during battle (figures depicted with head and torso, but just one leg)
Shirt (front), Upper Missouri Region, about 1840
- maybe either Crow or Hidatsa
- two battle scenes, one above the other, on the front
- victor on the far left wearing a war bonnet and holding a shield
- shield symbolized by circle enclosing two zigzag lines ending in black dots
- black line extending from the victor's head with rows of black triangular shapes—symbolic of a war bonnet; this bonnet is unusual in that it has a trailer at the end of the row of feathers
- victor is battling with men, possibly Pawnee, who carry guns and powder horns
- flares extend from the enemies' ankles—these symbolize high-top moccasins, which the Pawnee tribe usually wore
- conical headgear worn by the enemies may represent a hairstyle or it may be an artistic way of showing that these men were from a specific tribe
- double rectangles extending from the enemies' ears—symbolic of earrings
- powder horns are crescent shaped and worn along the enemies' waists
- guns are represented by double black lines ending in triangles; rows of guns are depicted alongside both sides of the neck opening
- vertical line with five extending horizontal lines—symbolic of a hand (four are shown); the hand are shown grasping weapons from the enemy, indicating that the warrior took these items during battle
- a figure on the bottom left wears a frock coat with three tails extending down to the warrior's feet
Shirt (front), Upper Missouri Region, about 1858
- green circles outlined in black and green circles outlined in red, encircled by black spikes—symbolic of shields; the red band may indicate wool cloth; the black triangular spikes represent eagle feathers
- vertical black line, with spikes, extending down the left side and ending in a triangle—symbolic of a lance (tip pointing downwards); eagle feathers extend from it; red line between the feathers and shaft of lance symbolizes wool cloth
- the curved configuration of lines and shapes on the left side symbolize a split-horn war bonnet; the triangular shapes represent eagle feathers; the small green circle represents the warrior's head; the zigzag lines extending from the green circle may represent ermine tails; the zigzag lines extending from the feathers could be decorative feather tufts (another war bonnet, shown from the front, is depicted on the upper left)
After discussing the imagery on each shirt, be sure to explain that the meanings of the images are not necessarily the same as similar pictographs on other power shirts. Differences in pictographic meanings have to do with variations in tribes, individual warriors, and time periods in which the shirts were created.
Encourage students to think about symbols present in modern-day clothing styles (i.e. girl/boy scout badges, military medals, company logos). What do these symbols stand for? What do these symbols mean to those wearing them as opposed to those observing them?
How do symbols present in power shirts reflect a different time period and culture than symbols displayed on modern-day military uniforms?
Which symbols (both Native American and modern-day) reflect leadership qualities and why? List all possible responses on the board.
Independent Practice
Have students design their own power shirt, including original symbols, not words, to suggest important events, skills, and/or interests in their lives. You may choose to have them color a paper T-shirt or to decorate a cloth one using paints, strings, and other available materials. Students may choose to look at Native American symbols for inspiration but should then develop their own, unique images.
Ask students to show their work to classmates and have them guess what their symbols represent.
Wrap-Up Activity
Decide which suggested questions are appropriate for your students and have students write a journal entry on one of the following topics:
- Journal Entry 1: Look at the clothing you are currently wearing and think about why you chose to put it on. Describe what your clothing says about your personal identity and how it makes you feel (proud, comfortable, cool, confident). Describe any clothing or accessory that you attach special meaning to and explain why. Would this item mean the same thing to someone else?
- Journal Entry 2: Imagine that a local museum has an exhibition in which Catlin's portraits of chiefs and leaders are displayed side by side with actual Plains Indians' power shirts. Write a review of the exhibit comparing and contrasting a work by Catlin with a power shirt. What is the difference between viewing a three-dimensional shirt vs. a two-dimensional painting? How does the difference in materials and level of authenticity affect the impact of the piece on the viewer?
Vocabulary
authenticity, pictograph, symbol.
Standards
National Council of Teachers of English:
- Standard 4: Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences for different purposes.
- Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
National Standards for Arts Education—Visual Arts:
- Standard 1 (5–8): Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
A. Students select media, techniques, and processes; analyze what makes them effective or not effective in communicating ideas; and reflect upon the effectiveness of their choices.
B. Students intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas.
- Standard 4 (5–8): Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
C. Students should analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place (such as climate, resources, ideas, and technology) influence visual characteristics that give meaning and value to a work of art.
- Standard 6 (5–8): Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.
A. Students compare the characteristics of works in two or more art forms that share similar subject matter, historical periods, or cultural context.
- Standard 1 (9–12): Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
A. Students apply media, techniques, and processes with sufficient skill, confidence, and sensitivity that their intentions are carried out in their artworks.
B. Students conceive and create works of visual art that demonstrate an understanding of how the communication of their ideas relates to the media, techniques, and processes they use.
- Standard 3 (9–12): Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas.
B. Students apply subjects, symbols, and ideas in their artworks and use the skills gained to solve problems in daily life.
- Standard 4 (9–12): Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
A. Students differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and purposes of works of art.
B. Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places.
C. Students analyze relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture, justifying conclusions made in the analysis and using such conclusions to inform their own art making.
|
