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Ihkas-kinne, Siksika Blackfoot Chief
Karl Bodmer Swiss
Not on view
Siksika chief Ihkas-kinne (Low Horn) wore a remarkable shirt for the occasion of his portrait. Maximilian described it as "war attire, which on the naked upper body consists only of several strips of otter skin stitched together, [on which] he fastened numerous bits of mother-of-pearl . . . from mussels." Also affixed to his shirt are abalone (a shell traded inland from the Pacific coast), European brass and silver buttons, and silver gorgets. Together, these elements create a colorful mosaic that speaks to Ihkas-kinne’s connections to an international network of trade.
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