On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Chan-Chä-Uiá-Te-Üinn, Lakota Sioux Woman
Karl Bodmer Swiss
Not on view
Gazing upon this ancestor is bittersweet for me. Chan-Chä-Uiá-Te-Üinn is beautiful, and her loveliness is restated in her attire. The hide’s pattern—centuries old—existed well before this recorded moment. Though steeped in tradition, this robe also held elements unique to its owner, affirming her individuality. Longingly, I wish I could touch this robe, smell its smoky warmth, or hear the dress’s cones sing as Chan-Chä-Uiá-Te-Üinn walked along. I wish I could have had my own coming of age ceremony and received such a robe. But things change, and Indigenous people adapt and survive. Today, I would receive a quilt, not a robe, but I would still be wrapped in the strength, tradition, and hope of my ancestors.
—Dakota Hoska
(Oglála Lakȟota, Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee)
Assistant Curator of Native Arts, Denver Art Museum
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